Il ruolo delle piccole aziende agricole europee nei sistemi alimentari sostenibili e nella sicurezza alimentare e nutrizionale

This chapter discusses the theories on small-scale agriculture in light of the evolving debate on food and nutrition security and draws attention on the role of small farms as a resource for the food system. We propose a conceptualization of the relationships of small farms with their environments, to understand how small farms behave within different configurations, drawing on the Assemblage Theory. This approach allows a better recognition of the diversity of small farms, their performance as well as their interactions with the external context in which small farms are embedded. Analyzing the diversity of small farms as assemblages has significant implications, both for research and for policy makers.