selfsufficiency

Selfsufficiency is the level of dependence an individual, household, community, or economy has on external inputs. In practice, it refers to the ability to meet basic needs—such as food, energy, shelter, and income—without or with limited reliance on outside sources. It is often pursued as a goal for resilience, sustainability, or autonomy, and is constrained by geography, climate, and resources.

At the household scale, selfsufficiency commonly means growing food, preserving produce, harvesting rainwater, producing energy on-site, and maintaining or repairing infrastructure without extensive external services. At larger scales, communities, towns, or regions aim to diversify local production, share resources, and develop local economies to withstand external shocks to supply chains.

Historically, many agrarian societies were largely subsistence-based, producing most of their own food and fuel. Industrialization and global trade increased interdependence. Today, proponents link selfsufficiency with resilience to climate change, energy transitions, and economic volatility, while critics note limits imposed by land availability, capital, and specialization needed for certain goods.

Common practices include home gardening and permaculture, food preservation, water harvesting, energy-efficient design, and on-site energy generation (solar, wind). Social mechanisms such as repair culture, sharing economies, time banking, bartering networks, and local currencies can strengthen local selfsufficiency.

Benefits often cited are reduced vulnerability to price spikes and supply disruptions, greater control over living standards, and environmental sustainability. Challenges include ecological limits, opportunity costs, potential isolation, and tensions with interdependent modern economies that rely on specialization and trade.

Related concepts include food sovereignty, resilience, sustainable living, homesteading, off-grid living, and localized economies.