Economy

Agriculture should ensure the economic viability of farming systems at the local farm level. An adequate net farm income is necessary to support an acceptable standard of living for farmers and to ensure the annual investment needed to improve progressively the productivity of soil, water and other resources.

Sustainable agriculture also aims to explore how farmers can benefit from:

• Cost saving (e.g. from forms of zero or conservation tillage).
• Increased yields (e.g. from increased soil fertility).
• Market mechanisms that favour production of quality raw materials.
• Making a positive contribution to the public good (e.g. landscape).
• Availability of farming infrastructure, resources & renewable inputs.
• Access to global markets