Farm Diversification: Drivers, Barriers and Future Growth Potential
Date
2020-10
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Wiley, on behalf of the Agricultural Economics Society and the European Association of Agricultural Economists
Abstract
Family farm businesses throughout Europe are facing new economic, environmental and social challenges. In order to deliver a more resilient primary agriculture sector national and regional governments are identifying mechanisms to support farm businesses to adapt to these changing demands. This qualitative study, explored the drivers of and barriers to farm diversification and its potential as a strategy to make farms more sustainable. Although there are a range of farm diversification strategies being pursued regionally, farm diversification is under exploited as an opportunity to achieve additional household income. Areas considered to have the potential for growth included, agri-tourism, care services (including social farming), professional services and developing artisan food products. Beyond the need to generate new income sources, creating employment for other family members was considered an important motivation. Those factors identified as constraints to diversification included internet access, planning, business rates, support around skills development, networks and a farmer’s own fear of failure. For smaller scale, family farm businesses located in more marginal areas, there is a need to identify a range of policy levers which support local farming systems and capture the multifaceted nature of the products and services that these farm businesses could provide and may be asked to deliver in the future.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 24 October 2020; Published online - 21 December 2020
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Citation
Jack, C., Ashfield, A., Adenuga, A. H. and Mullan, C. (2020) ‘Farm Diversification: Drivers, Barriers and Future Growth Potential’, EuroChoices. Wiley. doi: 10.1111/1746-692x.12295.