干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Biological agriculture is described as the only viable alternative to the ruinous and expensive conventional agriculture system which is a th,ear to the Oasis of life in terms of soil, water, air., plants and animals. A radical change in agricultural systems will only be possible if the whole economy moves away from a materialism involving maximising returns through world-wide free trade and unrestricted growth. The single most important economic measure would be a drastic increase in taxation of fossil energy sources and primary resources and a concomitant decrease in taxation of human labour. Traditional breeding strategies resulted in livestock breeds which are extremely efficient in the production of milk, meat, eggs and wool. This breeding for efficiency was without consideration of fertility, fitness and longevity and has resulted in a reduction in product quality. For an additional increase in production or to reduce unwanted and correlated responses, new breeding methods. such as gene repair, are not required, but a return to holistic breeding goals and selection for lifetime production is indicated.