Self-reliant citizens and targeted populations: the case of Australian agriculture in the 1990s

Since the early 1990s the notion of 'self-reliance' has assumed a central place in agricultural and regional policy in Australia. Applied specifically to agriculture, rural producers have been told by governments and farm organizations that they must become less dependent on government support and develop a more entrepreneurial attitude to financial and environmental risks. Such an approach is well illustrated in national initiatives such as the National Landcare Program (NLP) and Property Management Planning (PMP)" which are aimed at shaping farmers' management practices. On the one hand, it is argued in official policy documents that self-reliance is an essential part of farm management that leads to both profitability and long-term environmental sustainability. On the other hand, those farmers regarded by authorities as not having the capacity to become selfreliant are deemed to be hindering the development of a more internationally competitive sector and to have a limited future in primary production. A similar trend is evident in contemporary rural development strategies. These emphasize the significance of developing more enterprising attitudes among farmers so that they will deal effectively with change.