Agriculture Quote by Jørgen Randers
““A good family farm produces more, in net terms, than the farm family consumes. The good farmer has secured enough land to grow crops and support his or her livestock. The extra production beyond the farm family’s own consumption can be sold and traded for other goods and services—TVs, clothes, books. Some countries are like good family farms, with more bio-capacity than what it takes, in net terms, to provide for their inhabitants. Compare this with a weekend hobby farm, with honeybees, a rabbit, and an apple tree, where most resources have to be bought from elsewhere. Presently 80% of the world population lives in countries that are like hobby farms. They consume more, in net terms, than what the ecosystems of their country can regenerate. The rest is imported or derives from unsustainable overuse of local fields and forests.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Limits to Growth Revisited, 2004
Countries with abundant natural resources can produce surplus for trade, while most nations over‑consume beyond their ecological capacity, leading to unsustainable dependence on imports.
In simple terms: Rich nations export surplus; most over‑consume.
Key Takeaway
Promote sustainable consumption and resource balance.
Themes
economics
environment
sustainability
Mood
concerned
analytical
Type
academic
policy‑oriented
When to use this quote
- national policy
- urban planning
- educational curricula
- community projects
Key Concepts
resource management
trade
ecological footprints
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies could reduce over‑consumption?
- How can individuals influence national resource use?
A Different Perspective
Transitioning to sustainability faces political and economic resistance.
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