Sustainable Economy | Farming Smarter, not Harder

Assessing the economic value of risks to Australia’s soil and land assets, and recommending policies to maintain our competitive advantage as a net food exporter and ensure a strong agricultural economy.

Australia’s land-based economy provides clean air, water, food and fibre – but our soils continue to be degraded by acidity, erosion, urban development, increased climate variability and other pressures. Rising global demand for food, combined with resource scarcity, will make healthy and productive eco  systems increasingly valuable. Managing our land base for sustainable agricultural production, environmental conservation can provide a secure economic future for the industries and communities that rely on healthy landscapes.

The Sustainable Economy team are unearthing evidence about how Australia’s land-based economy can benefit from policies to preserve the environment and resources that sustain them. The full report, due out this spring, will look at the value of Australia’s agricultural land and soil to the national economy.