For farming enterprises, the focus is on the capacity of the soil to produce a commercial return on investment for the farmer. Over the past 100 years, commercial agricultural production has been driven by applications of chemical inputs in an attempt to control the natural variability of soil and the seasons. This style of farming was working to conquer nature rather than working with nature.

However, based on the principles of agroecology, there is emerging a new style of farming based on agro-ecological principles.

 Working with nature makes it possible to merge the scientific principles of soil chemistry and agronomy with natural ecosystems so that commercial production is in harmony with the surrounding ecology. Such a system is called an agro-ecological farming system, and it enables the farmer to not only be in harmony with nature, but also to harness nature so that it is a part of the driving force for productivity.

A great deal is known about soil chemical properties, and the chemical profile to grow crops and pastures. There is also knowledge about the physical profile of productive soils.

Less is known about the soil biota profile that is suitable for pasture and crop production. And yet soil biota is the key link between commercial production and the natural ecosystems; sill biota is the pathway to agro-ecological farming systems and long term sustainability.

ERA has worked with The University of Western Australia and Murdoch University to generate knowledge on the role of soil biota in commercial production systems.

This research is investigated the capacity to inoculate soil with beneficial biota, to identify the functionality of soil biota, and the biological profile that best suits commercial productivity and yet is in harmony of ecological preservation.