Research, development and opportunities

Sustainability is a guiding influence for all of research areas. It is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. A sustainable program should not just be self-sufficient, but also self-reliant. The emphasis on sustainability of a program is to reduce the dependency on external support, ensure participation and
ownership of the community through their contribution and to adopt cost-effective approaches for success. A sustainable project is one which has to be well-managed by a skilled and trained community demonstrating leadership and vision. A sustainable project is possible when the community is involved from the day one of the intervention and a clear withdrawal strategy is placed by the organization providing the support. A sense of ownership should be integrated into the community so that they are able to manage the process willingly at some point. The respective role of the community and sustainability of the program is directly related. If the community is not involved and does not perceive that it has a stake in the success of the scheme, it will lose interest and fail to join it, thereby
leading to winding up of the scheme.

To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations. Sustainability research grants support the research and development a variety of methods, tools, guidance, and programs that further the application of sustainability within decision-making.