The Importance Of Family Farming

Abstract
Family farms are of vital importance in terms of their contributions to food production worldwide which is affirmed by various scientific literature. Despite that, there is only little documentation on family farmers’ actual significance in respect of global food security. However, due to globalization and liberalization of food markets family farms are under high pressure and need to evolve mechanisms for resistance. Autonomy can be such a mechanism which enables food provision for both family and community and independence from external inputs plus dealing with economic instability and external shocks. Autonomy can be seen as security for the farm through independence and self-sufficiency, and at the same time can be environmental

In their research Garner & De la O Campos (2014) identify family farms as the following: “Family Farming is a means of organizing agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral and aquaculture production which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labour, both women’s and men’s. The family and the farm are linked, coevolve and combine economic, environmental, reproductive, social and cultural functions”. Furthermore Garner & De la O Campos (2014) identify the characteristics of family farming as the following: even though the term family farm does not necessary imply a size range, yet it is often synonymously used for small-scale farms – where small-scale is defined by farm sizes of 2 or less hectares of cropland. The concept of family farm comprises differences not only in farm size, but also for instance share of family labor, amount of production, social context or degree of market integration. As pointed out in the citation above, it is important to notice that agricultural production is not the only and not necessarily the most important objective of family farmers, since they also pursue environmental, social, cultural and ecological goals. Hence, family farming practices are characterized by integrating the local culture as well as

(Schneider & Niederle, 2010). Hence, autonomous farmers are able to manage their farms based on uncommitted decision making and self-organization of their properties and labor processes adapted to their given facilities and needs (Schneider & Niederle, 2010). According to van Gelderen & Jansen (2006) there are three major motivations for businesses to seek autonomy: independence, self-congruence and determination. Where independence implies that one is not determined by others; self-congruence as a motivation in terms of acting on one’s own desires; and determination as the power to decide and setting own rules (van Gelderen & Jansen, 2006). Furthermore, autonomy in farming implies a certain authenticity, identity and power of the farmer plus is able to assure social and ecological well-being (Stock & Forney, 2014). In addition, autonomous family farmers are not only able to provide food for their own family but also oftentimes to a whole community (Schneider & Niederle, 2010). As cited in Schneider & Niederle (2010) autonomy is not only a farmer’s state of self-sufficiency in term of financial resources but may also incorporate “[…] social, cultural, human, produced and natural ‘capitals’