The complexity of agricultural ecosystems makes it difficult to accurately measure, quantify and monitor the biogeochemical and natural resource flows that underlie agriculture. There is a lack of analytical tools and mechanisms readily available to measure, value and account for resource use and loss in agricultural production systems. Several efforts are under way to remedy this situation, for example within the framework of the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technology (WOCAT) and the Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA) project.