Benefits and Challenges of Small-Scale Farming
Small-scale farming offers numerous benefits such as community building, improved health, soil quality, food security, environmental sustainability, and productivity. However, it also presents challenges including hard physical labor and high risks. Despite the challenges, small-scale farming is a rewarding practice with positive impacts on communities and the environment.
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Presentation Transcript
TOPIC: Small Scale Farming Dr. Surendra Kumar Gupta Department of Economics DDU Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur
Small Scale Farming While small-scale farming is very hard work, it does also provide a lot of benefits in comparison to regular farming practices. Builds up communities: A small farm supplies the local community with fresh food and thus reconnect people with the food they consume. This helps to build up a whole community centered around a small farm, helping out both the farm and the people. Improves Health of communities: Introducing more nutritious and sustainable food, helps to improve the overall health of customers. They will not only get high-quality food but often also a higher quantity of locally produced seasonal crops. Creates jobs: During the stressful harvest months, small farms often require some outside help in exchange for money or accommodation and food. Harvesting, selling and Maintaining a farm is hard work and help is always appreciated.
Conti Small farms improve soil quality: In factory farming, very little thought is given to soil health, but on small farms, the soil is the heart and soul of the whole operation and is therefore treated with respect. Small farms often try to not only maintain the quality of the soil but actually improve it over time, so that future generations will profit even more from this farming method. Food security: Small farms grow a more diverse crop selection. Bigger farms often grow only a single crop on a very large scale, in bad years big parts of the harvest can be lost. Small farms help to counteract the food systems instability in those years. Better for the environment: Most of the food produced in large farms will travel more than 1000 miles until it finally reaches the supermarkets shelves. Furthermore, to produce these huge quantities of food in the least amount of time a lot of high tech equipment is used. Pesticides and oil-based fertilizers also contribute to the negative effect on the environment.
Conti More productive: Against the widespread belief, small farms are actually far more productive when compared to larger operations, when adopting unconventional farming methods. Providing more people not only with more but also better food to enjoy. Can offer high quality at a good price: Most small farms sell their products directly on the farm, this way they do not have to pay for transportation or other fees. You know where your money is going if you choose to buy from a local farm and will be able to see your food being produced.
Some challenges faced by small-scale farmers Sadly small-scale farming comes with it s own challenges and problems. Hard physical labor: Working long days of hard manual labor can be very exhausting and damage your body in many different ways. A small-scale farmer is required to be in very good health and be very resistant. High risk: Being a farmer always comes with high risk, what to do if you injure yourself? Insurance can help you avoid some serious consequences but never eliminate the risk.
Conti High dependence on unpredictable factors: Wheather is one of the most important, yet most unreliable factors in farming. A bad storm can wipe out your harvest. Preparing for these kinds of situations can be very stressful. Financial uncertainty: Most small farms operate on a very tight budget, leaving the farmer with very little to no luxury. Family vacation is pretty much impossible and the farm will require nearly all of your time.
