The challenges facing sustainable land and water in the future are not founded on lack of technological tools or interventions that are at the disposal of managers. There are clear impediments to adoption of these practices that will require innovative ways of knowledge dissemination, carefully crafted policies, incentives and commitment from governments and agencies charged with the management of land and water resources. In addition, there will be a need to create desirable innovative productive agro-ecosystems that maintain and enhance a range of ecosystem services and that attract the will of each farmer. In many cases, this can best be achieved by mimicking aspects of natural systems (LeFroy et al 1999), for example: • Paddy fields mimic the water retention of natural wetlands to provide multiple benefits including rice and fish production, flood mitigation, ground water recharge, soil erosion control, water purification; • Plantations can mimic natural forests, with well developed understorey to prevent soil erosion, provide habitat and promote biodiversity.