Richard Willingham wrote about the new CPD report, Farming Smarter, Not Harder, noting some of its key findings in exploring the future of Australian agriculture, as global populations soar and become more affluent and demand for food rises accordingly, just as Australian farmers struggle to negotiate immovable environmental limits.

FARMERS must work the land smarter rather than harder to take full advantage of the coming Asian population boom and to combat increasing soil degradation and climate change pressures on agriculture, in a bid to capitalise on estimated $16 billion increase in food exports over the next four decades.

The Centre for Policy Development, a progressive think tank, will today release a paper that examines how agriculture can continue to bolster the Australian economy, especially with the Asian boom — farm products currently make up 10 per cent of all exports and are worth $35.9 billion.

Read the article in full on theage.com.au

Read Farming Smarter, Not Harder

Download The Age article: Smarter farming needed to reap Asian rewards