soil-conservation-people-religion-and-land.pdf - South West NRM

on a permanent basis.
8. Role - - of 0rqani.c and Alternative Farmers
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The -&-~is on surface management and crop residues by soil
conse8k~ion authorities in recent years should extend to
formalising links with organic farmer groups and others in the
30,000 strong sector of smallholders. The ideas and production
systems used by alternative farmers should be evaluated and
tested for incorporation in formal advice in broadacre
situations.
IV. EDUCATION, EXTENSION AND ATTITUDES TO LAND
1. Man/Land Relations in School Curricula
The highest priority should be given to planning and
implementing the concepts of sustainable land use, land ethics
and agricultural ecology within primary and secondary school
curricula. The processes and technicalities taught in the past
must be expanded to include an appreciation of humanities
dependence on the land and the ecological, moral and economic
values which form the foundation of a sustainable society.
Studies in geography, social studies, earth science and bi-ology
must be planned in a complimentary manner so that plain
knowledge is enriched to form positive attitudes and values
beyond those of the present materialistic consumer society.
2. National Education Materials Unit
The federal government should create a permanent education
resources group within the National Soil Conservation Programme,
to plan, produce and disseminate source materials for teaching
all aspects of Man/Land relationships from primary to adult
education levels. This group would liaise with state education
and agriculture departments at all stages of material
production.
3. Aaricultural College Curricula
The formal training of all rural producers should integrate the
prin~ws of sustainable systems, land ethics and the
--- role, with the technical aspects of crops and
anim-Broduced in balanced farming systems.
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4. Extension Prosrammes Based on Sustainable Asriculture
Specialists in production techniques and farm planning should
emphasise the necessity of evaluating all recommendations to
landholders against the criteria of land stability, permanent
systems and productivity maintenance. This would eliminate the
tendency for advisors to consider recommendations only in short
term financial returns. Advisors also have a fundamental role
in encouraging the general acceptance of the ethos of
stewardship and land ethics as a basic value among land users.