>Maastricht, Netherlands -- Small farms are more productive than
>large farms, yet their continued existence is threatened by
>international trade agreements, according to a major study
>released today at a United Nations conference here in
>Maastricht.*
new report, old facts. (nevertheless thanks for the forwarding,
it's always nice to see an organisation sell old wine in new
barrels). 20 years old and just a confirmation what is already
known.
<In terms of output per unit of labour, small farms do tend to be
less "efficient" than large modernised ones. But in terms of
gross output per unit of land, smaller farms often outdo larger
ones. Reports from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
repeatedly show that small farms in the Third World are more
productive than large holdings. In Thailand, holdings under one
hectare have been found to be almost twice as productive as
holdings over 40 hectares; in Sudan, holdings of less than half a
hectare are four times as productive as those of 15 hectares;
and, in Bangladesh, holdings of just 0.3-0.4 hectares are six
times more productive than those of three hectares.>
source: fao, 1980 world census on agriculture, census bulletins,
rome, 1980, summary on p.15.
klaus
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