Introduction

Numerous studies of Australian agriculture have found land degradation (water and wind erosion, salinisation, waterlogging) to be a serious threat to the sustainability of its soils (Chartres Chapter 1, Gasteen et al 1985). There are several different dimensions to the study of land degradation: an understanding of how erosion physically occurs is clearly necessary, but there are technology and management practices which, if used by farmers, would greatly reduce the amount of agricultural land now inadequately protected against erosion.

We argue that studies of the physical and biological nature of land degradation must be complemented by socioeconomic analyses. These studies would include how farmers generally relate to their land, how farmers perceive and define erosion, and what prompts them to invest time, energy and money into learning about erosion and on-farm management practices which may help towards its abatement.

Farmers' responses to soil erosion and other forms of land degradation have several components. Agricultural technologies and practices based on European cultural traditions and experiences have often proved incompatible with Australia's climate and soil; Burch, Graetz and Noble (Chapter 2) state that it has taken Australian farmers over a century to modify the agricultural traditions of Europe to suit Australian conditions.

Modern production processes in agriculture have increased food production and farm earnings, but have caused onsite land degradation and offsite pollution.