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Small Farms and Sustainable Development: Is Small More Sustainable?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Gerard D'Souza  and
John Ikerd
Gerard D'Souza
Affiliation:
Agricultural and Resource Economics, Division of Resource Management, West Virginia University
John Ikerd
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri
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Abstract

A new, post-industrial, paradigm for agriculture is emerging under the concept of sustainable agriculture. The sustainability paradigm has emerged to solve problems created by the industrial model, primarily environmental pollution and resource base degradation. The role of farm size in this transformation to a more sustainable agriculture is the issue addressed. Using a descriptive approach, and relying on a survey of the literature including emerging paradigms and observations, we conclude that, from a sustainability perspective, the smallest effective size will be the most competitive size for farms, as for other knowledge-based enterprises of the future.

Keywords

agriculturefarm sizeparadigmssustainability
Type
Invited Paper Sessions
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , July 1996 , pp. 73 - 83
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1996

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