Estimating adaptive capacity in Australian farming environments

Looking ahead, Australian agriculture is entering a period of unprecedented change as it responds to drivers such as: global warming; increasing competition for food, water and fuel resources; the ageing of the farming and scientific professions; and the purposeful realignment of farm management with environmental priorities. Tools are needed for planners and professionals'many of whom lack a multidisciplinary appreciation'to anticipate, predict and cope with the risks of this uncertain future. Of particular interest are the likely resilience of agroecosystems and the adaptive capacity of particular agricultural industries, zones and communities. This paper describes an exercise in mapping potential indicators of adaptive capacity on Australian farms. The deficiencies in this approach are discussed in relation to potential improvements. We conclude that both quantitative and qualitative tools are needed to assess the likely levels of adaptive capacity of agricultural activities, spatially and industrially.