European small farms in sustainable food systems: An assemblage approach

This chapter re-discusses the theories on small farming in light of the evolving debate on food and nutrition security and draws attention on small farms’ role, not only for farm-household livelihoods, but considering their diverse roles in contributing to food and nutrition security and as an asset for the food system's resilience. We propose a conceptualization of the relations of small farms with their environments, to address how small farms behave within different interrelated configurations, drawing upon Assemblage Theory. We propose that assemblages are suitable theoretical devices for a more comprehensive recognition of the small farms’ diversity of behaviors, business models and performance as well as of the interactions with the external context in which small farms are embedded. The analysis of small farm diversity as a system property has significant implications, both for research and policy agendas.