Agricultural Viability

Agricultural land has many features that make it attractive for development. Rural allotments are typically larger than those in urban areas, presenting a greater range of development opportunities. Physically, too, the land lends itself to large-scale development, being often flat or gently sloping and having been cleared for farming. As well, in terms of location, agricultural areas are typically close or well-connected by road to the towns and cities that provided supporting services and markets for produce. Particularly in so-called 'peri-urban' locations, land recently or currently used for agriculture is in demand for a range of residential and industrial development.

The central issue in developing agricultural areas is that agricultural land is a scarce resource of national importance. Viable agriculture, whether for subsistence, local market, or export, requires land with the right soil type, geology, slope, water supply and climate. Not all rural or undeveloped land is appropriate for agriculture, so fertile cropland and good grazing pastures are in limited supply. This challenge is made more difficult because many towns and cities are built on and close to good quality agricultural land (traditionally allowing easy connection from farm to marketplace), so good agricultural land is subject to much development pressure from the growth of urban areas.