Indicators to Promote Ecological Intensification of Agriculture.

Efforts to sustain agriculture that are tied to soil stewardship and promote soil care have resulted in the ultimate emergence of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil carbon as the dominant metrics of agroecosystem health.  By including SOM within carbon trading schemes and sustainable agriculture (SA) standards many seek to monetize ecosystem services derived from the natural capitol upon which we and future generations depend upon for material and cultural support.  Emphasis on soil quality is justifiable as failure to adequately protect stocks of natural capitol will produce ‘uneconomic’ growth that will undermine society and the economy.   Attempts to put a value on soil quality are often imbedded within attempts to promote food security through either Sustainable Intensification (SI), or Ecological Intensification (EI).   Whether or not either approach succeeds will depend upon the indicators used to track it and upon whether or not there is public trust in, and support for, their application.  This paper will review the landscape of emerging approaches, audiences, and information flows that are being used to assess SI and EI and consider the strengths and weaknesses of associated indicators in terms of their policy relevance, analytical soundness, measurability and useful scale of application.   To succeed, EI and SI frameworks must articulate a common understanding of, and agreement on the resources, services, and socio-economic impacts needed to build resilience into agricultural supply chains that serve local and global markets.