Published: 2010 – ILEIA,
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Authors: Mundie Salm, Frank
About 1.4 billion people around the world depend on small-scale farming for their livelihoods. In spite of their tremendous diversity, small-scale farmers share some common characteristics, such as being family-based, having a smaller size, and being engaged in a variety of activities. They have an important role in food production and in keeping rural areas and communities vibrant. Yet, in many areas, most of the rural poor are small-scale farmers. For various reasons, these farmers are not able to sustain their families by growing staples for their subsistence needs alone. They may need to increase their cash income from their farms, or seek a variety of income sources, with some members of the family moving elsewhere to work.
Certain trends around the world work against the survival and sustainability of small-scale farming. Support systems (such as pricing support, the issuing of land concessions, research, marketing systems) are often biased towards large agribusinesses. In addition, natural resource systems are under pressure and climate change adds to variability. These trends amplify the already risky and unpredictable conditions under which small-scale farmers operate.
Module 1 provides an overview of issues to be explored in the Learning AgriCultures series. This series aims to provide support to educators in explaining the principles behind sustainable small-scale farming. Module 1 serves as the introduction to the series, while subsequent modules provide a more in-depth and practical focus on important themes brought up. This module can alternatively be used as a stand-alone short course, to provide an overview of small farm sustainability.