Emerging challenges for farming systems – Lessons from Australian and Dutch agriculture (First Chapter only)

Australia and The Netherlands are two countries with comparable populations and large amounts of agricultural exports. Whereas Australian farms tend to be extensive dryland systems, which degrade resources through exploitation, the Dutch farms are intensive and waste products lead to resource degradation.

The contrasting experiences of both countries provide an opportunity to examine the theoretical base to agricultural systems and to identify common lessons for the future of farming in most developed countries. The project collates and describes key emerging theories and principles that underpin farming systems in Australia and the Netherlands as they move into the 21st Century.