A framework for the development of smallholder farmers. Small scale farming has become quite widespread in many areas of the world. Proposed international definition of smallscale food. The fao proposes to define smallscale food producers using a. More than 80% of farmers in nigeria are small holder farmers. The paper highlights the situation of small scale farmers in an international context and compares it with the south african situation that is totally different. Smallscale is often equated with a backward, nonproductive, noncommercial, subsistence agriculture that we find in parts of the former homeland areas.
Combining political economic analysis with household survey data, this. Small scale farmers and climate change how can farmer organisations and fairtrade build the adaptive capacity of smallholders. Environmental health perspectives has noted that sustainable agriculture is not merely a package of prescribed methods. The definition of a small farm has varied over time and by country. Smallscale, limitedresource farmers expanding the marketability of their agricultural products by a valueadded process see valueadded definition below. Even today, agriculture is an important source of income and the worlds largest business. Land free fulltext the anatomy of mediumscale farm. Aliber et al define semisubsistence producers as those engaged in agriculture. Adoption of smallscale irrigation farming as a climate. This is the place where you are going to gain information about creating a sustainable farm on a very small piece of ground. Some of the produce is used to feed the family and the surplus is sold.
Proposed international definition of smallscale food producers for. This paper endeavours to correct the negative perceptions towards smallscale farms by redefining the smallscale farmer and laying to rest the fallacy that small relates to land size only. Traditional agricultural economic theory considered small farms inefficient, a stance that began to be challenged in the 1950s. Peasant farming refers to a type of small scale agriculture. Characteristics of smallscale agriculture at subsistence level. Combining political economic analysis with household survey data, this article examines. Agroforestry is a practical and lowcost means of implementing many forms of integrated land management which seeks to reduce human impacts on land, and it contributes to a green economy by promoting longterm, sustainable, and renewable forest management, especially for smallscale producers.
Lost in the debates about the appropriate scale of production to promote agricultural growth in africa is the rapid expansion of medium scale farmers. Small scale farmers have diverse information needs. Small scale farming or small scale agriculture, as it is also known, is essentially an alternative practice of farming, where the farmer embraces the fact that there is a limited amount of resources available renewable or otherwise and the fragility of the environment. In ethiopia and egypt, farms smaller than 2 hectares constitute nearly 90 percent of the total number of farms. Local and regional food systems can be a profitable sector for small and midsized farmers.
Second, the volume of production per labour unit by classes of farmingpastoralforestry enterprise size must be computed. It then highlights the international debate around smallscale farmers and compares it with the south african situation, which is totally. Within this context, this paper has as basic premise that in south africa the concept of small scale farmer is usually valueladen, creates wrong impressions and is often viewed in a. Adoption of smallscale irrigation farming as a climatesmart. Smallholder farmers are the drivers of many economies in africa even though their potential is often not brought forward. A smallscale farmer is required to be in very good health and be very resistant. Farmers already certified or seeking organic certification with the kentucky department of agriculture kda.
Subsistence farming definition of subsistence farming at. Lost in the debates about the appropriate scale of production to promote agricultural growth in africa is the rapid expansion of mediumscale farmers. Though the definition of size of these farms is a source of debate, it can be argued that farming on family pieces of land, on traditional lands and smallholdings on the periphery of urban areas, fall in this category. Defining smallscale farmers in the south african context. Enhancing agricultural opportunities for smallscale farms. It can be a viable alternative to factory farming or intensive agriculture. Smallscale agriculture an overview sciencedirect topics. Small scale farming learn about small scale agriculture. Jessica frank and chris penrose buckley twin 2012 smallholder farmers are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as a result of poverty, marginalisation and reliance on natural resources. Among smallscale producers, this typically begins with voluntary relationships built on solidarity among individuals within a group or intragroup relations pdf. Working long days of hard manual labor can be very exhausting and damage your body in many different ways. Smallscale farming is a natural outgrowth of sustainable agriculture, which is essentially agriculture that produces abundant food without depleting the earths resources or polluting its environment. In asia and africa, millions of smallscale and subsistence farmers, pastoralists, fishermen and indigenous peoples produce most of the food consumed worldwide, in. Thus, small scale agriculture supports local economy.
While the monitoring framework of the sdgs refers to the concept of small scale food producers, most of the literature refers to small farms. Most of the labour is provided by family members and is manual in nature. These farmers are often seeking information about many different crops being grown under variable circumstances manganyi et al. Jul 22, 2015 small scale agriculture is practiced for both subsistence and commercial purposes. Smallholder farmers are defined in various ways depending on the context, country and even ecological zone. Sadly smallscale farming comes with its own challenges and problems. Small scale farmers normally face a lot of challenges setting up a successful and thriving farming business. This excellent, clearly illustrated book has been written for those working with farmers on development and extension in rural areas who do not have much access to the technical knowhow needed for developing irrigated agriculture on a small scale. Smallscale farmers and climate change how can farmer organisations and fairtrade build the adaptive capacity of smallholders. The economic lives of smallholder farmers an analysis based on household data from nine countries. Study on smallscale family farming in the near east and north.
An overview of research published by the world bank in 1998 indicated that the. Agricultural economists have analyzed the distinctions among farm sizes since the fields inception. Organizing and managing farmers groups organizing and managing farmers groups a smart skills manual getting organized is vital for smallscale farmers in developing countries. Micro farms and sustainable farming a definition and the main principles. Smallscale agriculture is practiced for both subsistence and commercial purposes. Onethird of the economically active population obtains its livelihood from agriculture. Smallscale producers key to attaining food security and.
Peasant farmers grow crops and often rear some livestock on a small scale. Furthermore, small scale farmers are often driven by market conditions to explore. It is agriculture that follows the principles of nature to develop systems for raising crops and livestock that are, like nature, self. Smallscale agriculture is the production of crops and livestock on a smallpiece of land without using advanced and expensive technologies. Smallscale meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Subsistence farming definition, farming whose products are intended to provide for the basic needs of the farmer, with little surplus for marketing. Within this context, this paper has as basic premise that in south africa the concept of smallscale farmer is usually valueladen, creates wrong impressions and is often viewed in a. Small scale farming is a natural outgrowth of sustainable agriculture, which is essentially agriculture that produces abundant food without depleting the earths resources or polluting its environment. However, in south africa, the term smallscale is generally used to refer. Farmers use very simple tools such as hoes and machette to cultivate, in some cases ploughs are used.
Agroforestry is a practical and lowcost means of implementing many forms of integrated land management which seeks to reduce human impacts on land, and it contributes to a green economy by promoting longterm, sustainable, and renewable forest management, especially for small scale producers. While some of these challenges have to do with unfavorable policies, others are as a result of non availability of a clear plan or line of action for the business. Agriculture is a major contributor to nigerias gross domestic product gdp and smallholder farmers play a dominant role in this contribution. Often the term smallholder is interchangeably used with smallscale, resource. But the uc small farm program and many others frequently work with a looser definition.
The know your farmer, know your food initiative coordinates usda s work in local and regional food systems and is a centralized resource for learning about usda opportunities in this industry. Pdf defining smallscale farmers in the south african context. When done right, it can be a sustainable activity that can feed a family and provide them enough money to pay for everything they need for living a good life. Often scale, measured in terms of the farm size, is used to. Introduction and background agriculture plays a pivotal role in the indian economy. In guyana, many farmers practice this type of agriculture on the narrow coastal plain. A living income for smallscale farmers oxfam digital repository. Jun 02, 2016 small scale farming has become quite widespread in many areas of the world.
Small scale farming and sustainable agriculture sift. On their own, individual farm families can do little to improve their livelihoods. Smallscale agriculture has been practiced ever since the neolithic revolution. Characteristics of small scale agriculture at subsistence level.
Five benefits of smallscale farming rural system, inc. Defining smallscale farmers in the south african context article pdf available in agrekon 374 december 1998 with 12,107 reads how we measure reads. This support can help small and midsized farmers access markets. Pdf defining smallscale farmers in the south african. Smallscale farmers in communal areas of south africa have limited access to factors of. Smallscale farmers can certainly include those defined by usda. The paper highlights the situation of smallscale farmers in an international context and compares it with the south african situation that is totally different. Surveys carried out in ethiopia, ghana, and zambia, for example, found that more than 80% of all owners of smallscale irrigation equipment used their own or their familys savings giordano et. More recently it is an alternative to factory farming or more broadly, intensive agriculture or unsustainable farming methods that are prevalent in primarily first world countries.
The term smallholder does have a certain degree of descriptive power, when it is qualified. Small scale farming and micro farms can still produce enough food for selfsufficient living. The ability of smallscale farmers to earn a living income is critical to ensure their viability and. It is important to highlight that the definition of smallscale food producers proposed here is only meant to serve the purpose of computing and monitoring sdg indicators 2. Finally, the average income of smallscale food producers, by sex and indigenous status must be calculated. A small scale farmer depends on his efficiency in the utilization of basic production resources available to him. Agricultural productivity is variously measured, and large scale farming is often less efficient than small sustainable farms. If the farmer is poor then so is the whole country. Understanding the smallholder farmer in south africa. Small farmer definition of small farmer by the free. Classanalytic perspectives on smallscale farming and agrarian reform in. Using zambia as a case study, this article explores the causes and consequences of this middletier transformation on the future of smallscale agriculture. Kentuckybased, formal, nongovernmental organizations, and cooperatives that serve multiple kentucky farms or.
500 1558 1019 1472 1574 657 1526 882 1263 1154 1460 331 457 1351 713 451 1253 1198 1015 497 249 394 869 802 43 832 1555 1632 1458 750 876 1464 1145 1408 1280 84 1368 1156 735 1415 577 446 254 461 95 736