I believe that we have entered an unsettled time in human history where self-sufficiency skills long replaced by technology and virtually forgotten will be an important part of how people provide for themselves. This is not some apocalyptic belief, but an acknowledgment that history shows us that circumstances can and do change and that civilizations must adapt to those changes to survive. 

I believe that one of the most important skills that people will need to possess in the future is the ability to grow some or all of their own food. I believe this because I believe that the era of endless cheap energy is coming to an end and that, with that end, the era of the well-stocked. big-box grocery will also end. 

In this new era, people will have to rely on very local networks to provide their food, and in most cases these networks do not exist. I believe there will be a time of disruption and want for most people except for those who were proactive enough to seek out ways to provide for themselves. 

To that end, I want to help reestablish the skills required for self-sufficient food production that most people once had. I want to recreate the local networks for food production and distribution that once defined our society and to show people that these networks are a far better way that what we are doing now. 

My idea, then, would be to create a dedicated program targeted at helping communities develop local, sustainable agriculture networks by encouraging gardening, funding local agriculture initiatives, and helping start local agricultural enterprises. 

Fundamental to this idea is creating a network of individuals and organizations who already possess self-sufficiency skills and who are willing to share their knowledge and capabilities with others looking to start and learn. In addition, I would establish a library, virtual or otherwise, of resources and information related to self-sufficiency.