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Moderated e-mail conference on small farms and food security

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Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:50:08 +0000
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My name is Marisa Gonnella. I work as professor of Rural Sociology and in projects about Rural Extension and development.

Regarding Q. 3.2.1 (Compared to other approaches, what are the advantages and disadvantages of applying this food systems approach to study the contribution of small farms to food security and nutrition?), Q. 3.2.2 (What is the best way to define the boundaries and characteristics of a regional food system?) and Q. 3.2.3 (In quantitative terms, what methods would you use to assess the contribution of small farms in a particular region to meeting the demand for food within the same region?):

The size of small farms in the Pampas region is very dissimilar. Small farms are under 100 ha, because the extension is in relation to the model of production, which is mainly soybean. But the same size for other activities as horticulture turns out to be completely different, with between 1 and 50 ha being the biggest producers.

There are several issues:

All cases form part of the food system but the small farms sell their produce to the local markets and the biggest producers are among the links in the agribusiness chain.

It is frequently said the small farms can produce safe food for the local markets but they need guarantees about the form of marketing. In addition, they need good credit and infrastructure. One question refers to the small farms "One issue refers to the category of small farms" as theory category and  "the second issue is the small farms as beneficiaries" of policy programs. I think that the question about food security and the relations with small farms needs state policies and guarantees for the population.

The criteria taken by the states should emerge from both the needs of the small farms and the states while considering the contextual situations in the countries and the regions. In this way, it is possible that the small farms can work with the right conditions for the production of safe food.

The small farms are only part of the problems regarding food security.

Who is guaranteeing the access to food at the market?

The small farms have a culture of production that allows them to market their produce but with very many difficulties which include the social relations and their position in the rural structure.

The urban production, the production in the cities, is another issue when the agrarian and the structural questions are considered.

The small farms from the beginning of their production contributed to food security but in general they are considered as an informal sector, however, they are very important for the vulnerable population. In this question, the states are in debt to them.

Regarding Q. 3.3.1 ("How important is the contribution of small farms to food security and nutrition? Why?"): 

The small farms are important contributors to nutrition because they can produce fresh food daily and in addition they can decrease the use of agro toxics. But the states are needed to identify the markets for their products. On these questions, it is necessary to know the local nutritional conditions of the population and work together with interdisciplinary groups.

Regarding 3.4 ("Questions related to small farms and achieving food security and improved nutrition in a sustainable way"): 

The small farms present in the great majority the social situation with relation to the agrarian structure. So, before these issues, the forms of working for their sustainable development can be proposed, but is this concept the same for all?

The question is how to work with the small farms and listen to them, for their production can be more sustainable or more agro ecological with relation to the nutritional level of the local population.

Marisa Gonnella
Profesora Sociología Rural y de proyectos de Extensión Rural
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias 
Universidad Nacional de Rosario
Argentina
www.unr.edu.ar/ 
E-mail: mgonnel (at) unr.edu.ar

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