The other assumption is our anthropocentric
view that we can indeed manipulate soil macrofauna
for our purposes and that we label certain
groups as beneficial or winners which discounts
the possibility of others holding this position. The
following quotes are given as examples: 'Insight
into the need for, and approaches to, the development
of land use practices that capture and exploit
the beneficial activities of soil biota and soil
biotic processes.' (Pankhurst et al., 1994), and '...
how soil biota can be manipulated to make agriculture
less dependent on non-renewable resources.'
(Pankhurst et al., 1994).
There is also a belief that those farming systems
which include soil conservation practices such as
zero or minimum tillage are more sustainable
than conventional practices, but to prove this
unequivocally would require 20-30 years of comparative
analysis. Current thinking regarding
what constitutes a sustainable farming system
needs to be challenged as the changes which have
been made so far to existing farming systems are
marginal. Researchers and practitioners have not
been prepared to vigorously challenge the foundations
upon which sustainable farming systems
have been built, but have been merely content to
make cosmetic alterations to the structure. In
order to draw some valid conclusions in this
matter consideration needs to be given to determining
the characteristics which define a sustainable
farming system, and how they are to be
measured. Doran et al. (1996), amongst others,
suggests that the predominant agricultural research
emphasis which has concentrated on increasing
the economic efficiency and technical
prowess of agricultural production by taking a
reductionist approach needs to shift towards a
paradigm which acknowledges that an integrated,
holistic, multi-disciplinary approach is needed to
solve the problems of agriculture. A corresponding
shift in research paradigm has been experienced
in economics which is shifting towards a
transdisciplinary approach underpinned by an
ecocentric philosophy (Gill, 1996).