The sustainability of farming systems is currently under debate.
There is indeed a strong concern that industrialisation and other
changes have long term consequences, which may compromise future
levels of desired outputs from agricultural and other resources.
This project proposes a holistic approach to deal with sustaina-
bility in agriculture: the definition of an analytical framework
which integrates all factors influencing and influenced by agri-
culture. The proposed analytical framework is nog intended to
find a common solution for sustainability in Belgian agriculture,
but to suggest a management tool for the identification, develop-
ment and evaluation of locally more appropriated agricultural
techniques. The analysis of sustainability will mainly be based
on the multiple functions performed by agriculture within the
ecosystem/landscape where it is practiced, such as foor produc-
tion, soil, water, landschap and biodiversity conservation funct.