Smallholding
Rural Society |
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A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model.
Small-scale agriculture is often in tension with
Because smallholding farms frequently require less industrial inputs and can be an important way to improve
Issues
Productivity
Agriculture |
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Agriculture portal |
According to conventional theory, economies of scale allow agricultural productivity, in terms of inputs versus outputs, to rise as the size of the farm rises. Specialization has also been a major factor in increasing agricultural productivity, for example as commodity processing began to move off the farm in the 19th century, farmers could spend more effort on primary food production.[12]
Although numerous studies show that larger farms are more productive than smaller ones,[13] some writers state that whilst conventional farming creates a high output per worker, some small-scale, sustainable, polyculture farmers can produce more food per acre of land.[14]
Small farms have some economic advantages. Farmers support the local economy of their communities. An American study showed that small farms with incomes of $100,000 or less spend almost 95 percent of their farm-related expenses within their local communities. The same study took into comparison the fact that farms with incomes greater than $900,000 spend less than 20 percent of their farm-related expenses in the local economy.[15]
Small-scale agriculture often sells products directly to consumers.
Food security
Because smallholding farms frequently require less industrial inputs and can be an important way to improve food security in less-developed contexts, addressing the productivity and financial sustainability of small holders is an international development priority and measured by indicator 2.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 2.[10][3] The International Fund for Agricultural Development has an ongoing program for Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture.[16]
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the attendant disruptions of food systems, their role has become more important.[17]
Environmental and climate adaptation
While the historical focus on smallholders has been increasing global food supply under climate change and the role played by smallholder communities, climate adaptation efforts are still hindered by lack of information on how smallholder farmers are experiencing and responding to climate change. There is lack of detailed, context-specific information on what climate change portends to smallholder farmers in different and widely varying agroecological environments and socio-economic realities, and what management strategies they are employing to deal with these impacts.[18][19]
Especially for smallholders working in commodity crops, climate change introduces an increasing amount of variability to farmer economic viability; for example, coffee production globally is under increased threat, and smallholders in East Africa, such as in the Ugandan, Tanzanian or Kenyan industries, are rapidly losing both viable coffee land and productivity of plants.[20]
In some cases, smallholders are an important source of
Formats
The definition of a small farm has varied over time and by country. Agricultural economists have analyzed the distinctions among farm sizes since the field's inception.[22] Traditional agricultural economic theory considered small farms inefficient, a stance that began to be challenged in the 1950s.[23] An overview of research published by the World Bank in 1998 indicated that the productivity of small farms often exceeded that of larger ones.[24]
Hobby farms
Nucleus estate and smallholder
Croft
Smallholder Farms
Smallholder farms, also known as small-scale farms, encompass a diverse array of agricultural operations, varying from those owning the land they cultivate to those who do not.[25] These farmers, often family-oriented, rely significantly on family labor to meet production needs, with women contributing a substantial portion of farm labor.[26]
The agricultural work on smallholder farms predominantly involves family members, with occasional hired labor, particularly during peak seasons.[26] However, the productivity per hectare tends to increase with higher involvement of family members in farm activities.[26] In addition to farm-related duties, women on smallholder farms often shoulder responsibilities such as collecting fuel and water and engaging in low-value, small-scale trading activities.[26]
Many smallholder farms supplement their income through off-farm work, crucial for sustaining livelihoods, particularly during agricultural downturns like droughts.[26] Engaging in off-farm employment also serves to build social capital and resilience within these communities.[26] Having multiple sources of income or employment opportunities off the farm contributes to the economic stability of smallholder farming households. These off-farm income-generating activities offer a buffer against agricultural shocks and allow for a diversified livelihood strategy, providing families with increased financial security and access to essential resources.
Developing countries
In many
In low-income countries, women make up 43 percent of smallholding agricultural labor but produce 60–80 percent of food crops.[11]
India
In India, there is five sizes classification for smallholders. These are 'marginal' less than 1 hectare (2+1⁄2 acres), 'small' between 1 and 2 hectares (2+1⁄2 and 5 acres), 'semi medium' between 2 and 4 hectares (5 and 10 acres), 'medium' between 4 and 10 hectares (9.9 and 24.7 acres), 'large' above 10 hectares (25 acres). If we use 4 hectares (10 acres) (marginal + small + medium) as a threshold, 94.3% of holdings are small and these constitute 65.2% of all farmland.[5] The bulk of India's hungry and poor people are constituted of smallholder farmers and landless people. 78% country's farmers own less than 2 hectares (5 acres), which constitutes 33% of total farmland but at the same time, they produce 41% of the country's food grains. 20% of the world's poor live in India, although the country was self-sufficient in food production in 2002 due to the first Green Revolution started in the latter half of the twentieth century, numerous households lacked resources to purchase food. Holdings less than 2 ha contributed 41% of total food grain production in 1991 compared to 28% in 1971, which means a substantial increase, whereas medium holdings registered a mere 3% increase in the same period and large holdings registered a decline from 51 to 35%. This signifies the importance of smallholders in the Green Revolution and the attainment of national food security. Smallholder families are becoming more vulnerable and more disadvantaged due to the expansion of international trade liberalisation. The needs and aspirations of small farmers must feature prominently in policies of market reform that seek to improve food and nutritional security. India's total increase rate of productivity across the farming sector was far less in 1990's when compared to previous decades.[33]
Kenya
Kenya's smallholder means someone who owns, possess or produces agricultural products in small-scale . smallholder production accounts for 78 percent of total agricultural production and 70 percent of commercial production.[34] Majority of the smallholder population work in farm sizes averaging 0.47 hectares (11⁄4 acres).[35] This represents the vast majority of Kenya's rural poor population who depend on agriculture for their livelihood.[36] Adverse risk events during the period 1980–2012 led to production losses in smallholder farms resulting in a drop in agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) of 2 percent or more.[36] Increasing the productivity of smallholder farmers is encouraged due to its potential of improving food availability, increasing rural incomes, lowering poverty rates, and growing the economy.[36] Diversification of crops in smallholder farms is one of the potential strategies in sustaining agricultural productivity, and copping with marketing risks.[37] It is also a transitional step from subsistence to commercial agriculture.[citation needed] Age, education of household head, type of crops, cropping system, amount of credit, and irrigation facilities are some of the factors influencing diversification in smallholder farms.[38]
Tanzania
Along the upper and middle reaches of the Nduruma River in the Pangani River Basin, Tanzania, there is not enough water to go around. Smallholder farmers address inequities in land and water distribution by enforcing existing traditional local rules. Whilst larger estate farms may have governmental licences guaranteeing rights to the water, a study found that those large-scale farms which adhere to the traditional water rights structures fare better in terms of social reputation, which better ensures their access to water. Adhering to the water law in order to enforce their permits is less effective, as regional Tanzanian local governments generally attempt to avoid conflict with their populace. On a larger scale, however, existing traditional rules are ineffective in maintaining cooperation among users along the Nduruma River.[39]
Thailand
In 1975, there were 4.2 million smallholder farming households in Thailand. In 2013, Thailand had 5.9 million smallholder farming households. The average area of these smallholdings had shrunk from 3.7 to 3.2 hectares (9+1⁄4 to 8 acres) over that period. Instead of farms getting larger and less numerous, as has been the case in the
United States
Several definitions of small farm have been formulated in legislation. In 1977 the
The concentration of production on fewer and larger operations is a longstanding concern among some segments of the agricultural community. Others view these changes as inevitable, and even necessary to maintain the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector.
Farm typology analysis by the USDA Economic Research Service divides the small family farm category into five groups:
- limited-resource farms;
- retirement farms;
- residential/lifestyle farms;
- farming occupation/lower-sales,
- farming occupation/high-sales.
Technology for small farmers
Many farmers are upset by their inability to fix the new types of high-tech farm equipment.[42] This is due mostly to companies using intellectual property law to prevent farmers from having the legal right to fix their equipment (or gain access to the information to allow them to do it).[43] This has encouraged groups such as Open Source Ecology and Farm Hack to begin to make open-source agricultural machinery.
European Union
The debate concerning the role of small farms within the European Union is ongoing. The European Commission states that more than three quarters of farm holdings in the European Union are less than 10 hectares, with a large number less than five hectares,[44] although as of 2009[update] it had not established a formal definition of the term that could be used in its Common Agricultural Policy. The public perception of the possible benefits of small-scale farming has led to requests for further studies from the European Commission.[45]
See also
References
- ^ Gulden, Kathrine Torday (Mar 8, 2019). "International Women's Day: Closing the gender gap among smallholders". Nibio EN. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
- ^ "Small-Scale Agriculture - an overview". ScienceDirect Topics. Archived from the original on Oct 18, 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
- ^ a b c Khalil, Clara Aida; Conforti, Piero; Ergin, Ipek; Gennari, Pietro (June 2017). "Defining Small-scale Food Producers to Monitor Target 2.3. of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" (PDF) (Report). FAO Statistics Division. Archived (PDF) from the original on Nov 8, 2020.
- ^ "Food prices: smallholder farmers can be part of the solution". IFAD. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
- ^ a b "Investing in smallholder agriculture for food security" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition. June 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "How many smallholders are there worldwide producing cocoa? What proportion of cocoa worldwide is produced by smallholders?". International Cocoa Organization. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on Oct 20, 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
- ^ "Why Sustainable Cocoa Farming Matters for Rural Development". www.csis.org. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
- ^ Schneider, Kate; Gugerty, Mary Kay (August 17, 2010). Impact of Export-Driven Cash Crops on Smallholder Households (Report). Evans School Policy Analysis and Research.
- ^ Christina Gradl; et al. (March 2013). "Promising agribusiness". dandc.eu.
- ^ a b "2.3.1 Productivity of small-scale food producers | Sustainable Development Goals | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
- ^ a b c "Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders". Project Drawdown. 2020-02-06. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
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- ^ Gorelick, Steven; Norberg-Hodge, Helen (2002). Bringing the Food Economy Home: Local Alternatives to Global Agribusiness. Kumarian Press (US). Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ Chism, J.W.; Levins, R.A. (1994). "Farm". Minnesota Agricultural Economist. Spring 1994 (676).
- ^ "Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme". IFAD. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
- ^ "Building the Resilience of Smallholder Farmers | Land & Water | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Land & Water | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
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- ^ Welle, Deutsche. "How climate change threatens African coffee farmers | DW | 18.11.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ^ a b "Future Smallholder Deforestation: Possible Palm Oil Risk". Chain Reaction Research. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
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- ^ "What is a Smallholder Farmer?". Heifer International. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ^ a b c d e f Rapsomanikis, G., 2015. The economic lives of smallholder farmers: An analysis based on household data from nine countries. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. (see pp. 5-20)
- ISBN 981-208-657-9.
- ^ Nagayets,Oksana (2005). The Future of Small Farms. International Food Policy Research Institute and Overseas Development Institute Vision 2020 Initiative, p. 356.
- ^ Commodities and Development Report 2015-Smallholder Farmers and Sustainable Commodity Development. UN. 2015. pp. 2–21.
- ^ FAO (2015). The economic lives of smallholder farmers-An analysis based on household data from nine countries. FAO.
- PMID 32837660.
- ^ International Finance Corporation (2013). Working with Smallholders: A Handbook for Firms Building Sustainable Supply Chains, p. 12. http://www.farms2firms.org
- ^ Singh, R.B.; Kumar, P (2002). "Small Holder Farmers in India:Food Security & Agricultural Policy" (PDF). coin.fao.org. FAO Regional office for Asia and Pacific. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Bank, World; Agriculture, International Center for Tropical (2016-01-15). "Climate-Smart Agriculture in Kenya".
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(help) - ^ FAO (2015). The economic lives of smallholder farmers-An analysis based on household data from nine countries. FAO.
- ^ )
- ISSN 2331-1932.
- ISSN 2331-1932.
- ^ Condon, Madison; Komakech, Hans; Zaag, Pieter van der (2012-01-01). "The Role of Statutory and Local Rules in Allocating Water between Large- and Small-Scale Irrigators in an African River Catchment". Water SA. 38 (1): 115.
- ^ Rigg, Jonathan (3 September 2018). "Modern country, persistent smallholder: Explaining the puzzle of Thailand's truncated agrarian transition". The Asia Dialogue. University of Nottingham, Asia Research Institute. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- USDA. 1998-05-01. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ "New High-Tech Farm Equipment Is a Nightmare for Farmers". WIRED. 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ^ "We Can't Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership". WIRED. 2015-04-21. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ^ European Commission, The Small Farmers Scheme, accessed 11 October 2022
- ^ "Small Farms in the EU: How Small is Small?" (PDF). University of Kent. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
Bibliography
- Thomas, Frieder; Schmidt, Götz (2006). Förderung von Existenzgründungen in der Landwirtschaft: ein Projekt im Auftrag des BMELV (03HS016): Projektbericht. Münster-Hiltrup: Landwirtschaftsverlag. ISBN 3-7843-0513-X.
This article incorporates public domain material from Jasper Womach. Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition (PDF). Congressional Research Service.
Further reading
- Graham, Peter Anderson (1911). Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 699–704. This provides an extensive historical and global view as of the early 20th century. . In