Thursday, February 12, 2004

Can altruism win over greed? . Are economic systems solely an expression of the later?

What you can do is push for cooperation when it matters. Remind your leaders that we don't want farmers thinking they have to stretch themsleves even further that they are - in the worshipful name of meddling myopics -competition .
Big picture thinking on this matters and makes a big difference to stability for agrlculture the world over because land and resource custodians are in the risk environment together - Secondary industry models are too clean to cut carefully on biodiverse boundaries and risk matters .

The choice in Australia 2004 then is : Mate against mate or Mate with mate
Some farmers , like the rats in the big smoke, have fallen for the competition chants hook line and sinking .

YET Cooperation rather than competition is the model of effective big picture policy for eco sytems as big as Australia's .
Competition maybe a critical model of small scale efficiency, but crude efficiency isn't everything and benefits of pursuing it exclusively wane as the systems become complex --and then don't last with extrenalties to boot ! You have to invest outside the square in Agriculture !

NO The Ag's won't be better off if they work harder and smarter . No they /us are in this world together . Go for big picture modeling !

Support the single desk approach so effective for wheat . ecosystems approaches to economic management are not monocultural like most industry policy in Australia is at the moment .

You may not squeeze the last drop out ( but who cares but the pedants) ,especailly when you know the milk and honey will flow more consistently to those who should get it . Questions? email me