BookKeith Noble, Tania Dennis, Sarah Larkins.
Summary: This book examines the mechanisms and strategies farmers in North Australia adopt to manage the setbacks and challenges they face. This social research is based on farmers experiences, but also draws on the authors own experience after his tropical fruit farm was destroyed by two Category 5 cyclones in five years. Through historical analysis, the book compares historic and contemporary aspirations for northern development, and discusses the influence of the built environment on individuals as well as access to health and other social services. Exploring the implications of individual resilience strategies for policy development within the broader context of northern development and evolving environmental governance, the book also highlights the fact that this is occurring in a new geological epoch - the Anthropocene. The book will provide a unique perspective and understanding to government, individuals and industries interested in northern Australia and its relationship to the world.
Contents:
Intro; Introduction; Contents; About the Authors; List of Figures; List of Tables; Part I: North Australian Theory and Realities; Chapter 1: Agriculture as a Human Endeavour; 1.1 Northern Australia's Existing Agricultural Capacity; 1.2 Why Consider an Individual's Resilience?; 1.3 Book Structure and Chapter Logic; References; Chapter 2: Resilience Discourse and Adaption Strategies; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 A Resilient Concept; 2.3 Conceptualising Resilience: Origins and Evolution; 2.4 What's in a Name: Theory vs the Vernacular; 2.5 Resilience, Adaptive Capacity and Transformation in Agriculture 2.6 Resilience and Policy Paradoxes2.7 Future Trends and Direction; 2.8 Conclusion; References; Chapter 3: Agricultural Development in Northern Australia; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 The Historic Challenges of Northern Australian Agriculture; 3.3 Contemporary Challenges to North Australian Agricultural Aspirations; 3.4 National Drivers for Growth; 3.5 Global Drivers for Growth; 3.6 Agricultural Policy Paradigms; 3.7 The Importance of Infrastructure; 3.7.1 Freight and Transport Infrastructure; 3.7.1.1 Sea Freight; 3.7.1.2 Rail; 3.7.1.3 Road; 3.7.1.4 Air; 3.7.2 Communication Infrastructure 3.7.3 Water Infrastructure3.7.4 Infrastructure Summary; 3.8 Are We There Yet?; References; Chapter 4: Framing Northern Australian Agriculture's Future; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Australian Environmentalism and the Emergence of Sustainability; 4.3 Ecologically Sustainable Development; 4.4 Capital Ideas; 4.5 Traditional Owners and Agriculture; 4.6 Climate Change and Other Disasters; 4.7 Australian Agricultural Policy in the Anthropocene; 4.8 Global Decision-Making and Evolving Governance; 4.9 What Is Different Now?; References; Chapter 5: Why and How to Consider the Resilience of Individuals? 5.1 Introduction5.2 A Problem-Focus, as Distinct from a Topic-Focus; 5.3 A Review of Theory and Validation of the Methodological Approach; 5.4 The Ontology and Epistemology of This Work; 5.5 Methods and Strategy of Data Collection; 5.6 The Use of Orienteering Concepts to Organise and Analyse Data; 5.7 Approaching the Data; References; Part II: Lived Experience
Why People, Place, and Services Matter; Introduction; Chapter 6: The Resilience Strategies of Individuals; 6.1 Theme 1: Situational Awareness and Opportunity Seeking
The Black Art of Experience; 6.1.1 A Good Way of Life 6.1.2 Travel Broadens the Mind6.1.3 Off-Farm Influences; 6.1.3.1 Finance; 6.1.3.2 Infrastructure; 6.1.3.3 Global Drivers; 6.1.3.4 Natural Resource Management and Public Perceptions of Agriculture; 6.1.4 Acts of God, Acts of Parliament, and Other Disasters; 6.1.5 Dealing with It; 6.1.6 Discussion; 6.2 Theme 2: The Capacity to Plan; 6.2.1 Plan the Future, Not the Past; 6.2.2 The Path of Least Resistance; 6.2.3 More Than Just Me; 6.2.4 Stick to the Plan, Man; 6.2.5 Discussion and Conclusion; 6.3 Theme 3: The Capacity to Adapt; 6.3.1 Pay Attention; 6.3.2 Maintain Flexibility