Abstract
This paper on family farms is in the form of an historical review complemented by current and future perspectives from North America, China, Brazil and Europe. The literature review demonstrates the multiple discourses, concepts and methodologies which underpin contemporary understandings of the family farm. The authors argue that family-based farming units are ubiquitous in most agricultural systems and take on many different forms and functions, conditioned by the structure of agriculture in different locations and political systems. Our review accepts this diversity and seeks to identify some key elements that inform our understanding of the sustainability of family farming, now and in the future. The term ‘family’ is the differentiating variable and behooves a sociological approach. However, economists can view the family farm as an economic unit, a business and even a firm. Geographers see family farms consigned to the margins of good land areas, and political scientists have seen family farms as a class. What emerges is a semantic enigma. As an imaginary term, ‘family farming’ is useful as a positive, universally valued ideal; as a definable entity on the ground, however, it is difficult to classify and measure for comparative policy and research purposes. This ambiguity is utilized by governments to manage the increasing capitalization of farm units while projecting the image of wholesome production of food. The case studies demonstrate the diversity of ways in which family farming ideologies are being mobilized in contemporary agrarian change processes. The notion of ‘land to the tiller’ is resonant with historic injustices in Scotland and Brazil, where family-based agriculture is understood as the ‘natural’ order of agricultural production and actively supported as an historic ideal. In contrast, in the Chinese context, ‘land to the tiller’ is a political means of increasing capital penetration and economic sustainability. Evidence from China, Brazil and Scotland demonstrates the active role of governments, coupled with symbolic ideologies of farming, which suggest that the longevity (i.e., sustainability) of family farming will continue.
Highlights
The notion inherent in agrarianism that family farms would derive most of their income from farming was largely dispelled, when it was demonstrated that two thirds of farm households in North America and Europe were pluriactive, that is, they engaged in multiple activities and had many income streams such as transfers and wages from off-farm work [55]
We have argued that the longevity of family farming demonstrates its sustainability
In the Brazilian and Scottish cases, family farming is promoted as enabling social sustainability—access to land is considered a social justice issue
Summary
Farming offers a unique opportunity to ensure food security, improve livelihoods, better manage natural resources, protect the environment and achieve sustainable development, in rural areas Thanks to their wisdom and care for the earth, family farmers are the agents of change we need to achieve Zero. They are not representative in a systematic way but demonstrate important contrasts in how notions of family farming are being mobilised In this way, we can review the highlights from the case studies, including Europe and North America, to illustrate the variability in ideology and practices of family farming, especially those that demonstrate the important role of the state and how the image of family farms has been created and upheld over time
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