--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Traditional agriculture was labour…" description: "\"Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and permaculture-designed systems are information and design ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png" --- # Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial… ![“Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and permaculture-designed systems are information and design intensive.” quote by David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png) > “Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and permaculture-designed systems are information and design intensive.” [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional farming relies on human labor, industrial farming on energy, while permaculture depends on knowledge and design to create sustainable systems. **In simple terms:** Permaculture uses design and information, not just labor or energy. Key Takeaway Design sustainable systems with knowledge. Themes sustainability design agriculture knowledge Mood thoughtful optimistic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - community garden - urban farm - policy planning - educational course Key Concepts systems thinking ecology Questions to Reflect On - What information is needed to design a resilient farm? - How does design reduce resource use? A Different Perspective Design complexity can be hard to implement without expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Permaculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permaculture/) ## Related quotes > [In traditional agriculture, the soil is the mother. She's the mother who gives, to whom you must give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/in-traditional-agriculture-the-soil-is-the-mother-she-s-the-mother/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Charity is a very labour-intensive virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/charity-is-a-very-labour-intensive-virtue/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/consciously-designed-landscapes-which-mimic-the-patterns-and/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [The whole problem of industrial agriculture is putting all of your eggs in one basket. We need to diversify our food chains as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/the-whole-problem-of-industrial-agriculture-is-putting-all-of-your/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Industrial agriculture now accounts for over half of America's water pollution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/industrial-agriculture-now-accounts-for-over-half-of-america-s-water-2/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Industrial agriculture freed many people to pursue lives their parents and grandparents could never have. It made America modern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/industrial-agriculture-freed-many-people-to-pursue-lives-their/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [A recent review of different agricultural options for the future was conducted by a panel of experts. The scientists posed the question: How are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-patel/a-recent-review-of-different-agricultural-options-for-the-future-was/) [Raj Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-patel/) > [“Sometimes the large scale organic farmer looks like someone trying to practice industrial agriculture with one hand tied behind his back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/sometimes-the-large-scale-organic-farmer-looks-like-someone-trying-to/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“The predominant system of farming bolstered by all of this is accurately named industrial agriculture. It is capital-intensive, not labor-intensive, which largely explains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-manning/the-predominant-system-of-farming-bolstered-by-all-of-this-is/) [Richard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-manning/) > [I wish for recycling to become a major industrial agriculture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tishuan-scott/i-wish-for-recycling-to-become-a-major-industrial-agriculture/) Tishuan Scott > [Industrial agriculture now accounts for over half of America's water pollution. Two years ago, Pfiesteria outbreaks connected with wastes from industrial chicken factories forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/industrial-agriculture-now-accounts-for-over-half-of-america-s-water/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [“Since we cannot solve the health injuries linked to industrial agriculture with the same mindset that created them, we have to view food and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-kesten/since-we-cannot-solve-the-health-injuries-linked-to-industrial/) [Deborah Kesten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-kesten/) > [“Globalized industrialized food is not cheap: it is too costly for the Earth, for the farmers, for our health. The Earth can no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/globalized-industrialized-food-is-not-cheap-it-is-too-costly-for-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Industrial agriculture characteristically proceeds by single solutions to single problems: If you want the most money from your land this year, grow the crops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/industrial-agriculture-characteristically-proceeds-by-single/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I’ve been thinking about that question about what city people can do. The main thing is to realize that country people can’t invent a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-ve-been-thinking-about-that-question-about-what-city-people-can-do/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by David Holmgren > [Some ideas need to be continually reinvented and rediscovered, particularly an idea like the omnipotence of humans. It takes a long time to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/some-ideas-need-to-be-continually-reinvented-and-rediscovered/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [Although it is tempting to think of these natural landscapes as reflecting a stability in climactic and geologic forces, long periods of climactic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/although-it-is-tempting-to-think-of-these-natural-landscapes-as/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [When we work with nature instead of trying to impose our will, the solution is often found within the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/when-we-work-with-nature-instead-of-trying-to-impose-our-will-the/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [It is not the project but the living process that will be the measure of our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/it-is-not-the-project-but-the-living-process-that-will-be-the-measure/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [The permaculture's whole principle of having to work with nature, rather than fight against it, is not just an ethical restraint. It's also about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/the-permaculture-s-whole-principle-of-having-to-work-with-nature/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [A lot of people do get stuck on the idea that they can't pour energy into something unless they own it. Given the current…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/a-lot-of-people-do-get-stuck-on-the-idea-that-they-can-t-pour-energy/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [I'm under no illusion that the future will be a neat and tidy or desirable world. We will gain a lot of things through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/i-m-under-no-illusion-that-the-future-will-be-a-neat-and-tidy-or/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [If you understand it from an ecological or sustainability perspective, agriculture is the primary way we meet most of our needs, and it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/if-you-understand-it-from-an-ecological-or-sustainability-perspective/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [I thought if something was a good idea, we should be able to apply it to ourselves as guinea pigs and do something with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/i-thought-if-something-was-a-good-idea-we-should-be-able-to-apply-it/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [The Earth is a living, breathing entity. Without ongoing care and nurturing, there will be consequences too big to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/the-earth-is-a-living-breathing-entity-without-ongoing-care-and/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [If you give up on trying to change larger structures and just go off on what some would say is a personal indulgence or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/if-you-give-up-on-trying-to-change-larger-structures-and-just-go-off/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [Consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/consciously-designed-landscapes-which-mimic-the-patterns-and/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) [Explore all 13 David Holmgren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and permaculture-designed systems are information and design intensive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Holmgren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/traditional-agriculture-was-labour-intensive-industrial-agriculture/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agriculture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/traditional-agriculture-was-labour-intensive-industrial-agriculture/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/david-holmgren-35112_agriculture_traditional-agriculture-was-labour-inten_698178.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial agriculture is energy intensive, and…” — David Holmgren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Holmgren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Traditional agriculture was labour intensive, industrial...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/traditional-agriculture-was-labour-intensive-industrial-agriculture/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/traditional-agriculture-was-labour-intensive-industrial-agriculture/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```