The transformation from traditional to commercial family farming.

Abstract

The central role the farmer and his family are playing in the process of agricultural development is emphasized. In the transformation from subsistence to commercial farming there is an increase in the number of factors influencing the decisions the farmer has to make. Farms are classified by the proportion of gross product marketed. This classification explains a number of problems encountered by economists. The relationship is examined between farm size and other factors, such as the production per unit area, consumers per family, welfare index, costs of non-agricultural inputs. The impact on the portion of gross product that has to be sold is shown for an assumed growth of welfare and costs of non-agricultural inputs. Simple arithmetic reveals the crucial importance of expanding domestic or foreign markets for agricultural products. Finally future research in agrarian economics is considered. The need for farm management research, to anticipate farmers' problems and to keep them informed is stressed as are the aspects of infra-structure. A. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)