Research
Councils UK (RCUK) and Universities UK (UUK) have produced a report called Big
Ideas for the Future
It includes a section from my friend and colleague Larch
Maxey:
The future of farming – small is successful
Smallholdings of 10 acres or less can provide viable
and highly sustainable livelihoods. They can support the transition to a more
sustainable society by increasing local food production and boosting rural
economies both in the UK and other countries. ‘Small is Successful: Creating
sustainable livelihoods on 10 acres or less’ reports on research led by Dr
Larch Maxey at the University of Plymouth in collaboration with The Ecological
Land Cooperative. The research opens the door to new entrants to farming at a
time when there is urgent need for them and calls for policies that allow
highly sustainable, low acreage livelihoods to flourish. In contrast to the
commonly held view that only large farms can survive, the research shows that smallholdings
can succeed on tiny pockets of marginal land. Adding value is key to their
success, with growers now able to process and take food to market. Businesses
are increasingly spreading their risk too, so if one crop or market fails,
others are available.
