Small scale farming in Serbia and its benefits for society and nature conservation Jeroen Arends, SEEDEV
Who are small scale farmers? Small commercial or semi subsistence?
1 814 1 006 903 619 414 172 4 397 3 317 3 157 2 261 1 392 1 178 621 172 92 9 2 599 2 540 2 418 2 249 1 355 1 170 1 090 1 011 802 63 10 925 8 798 7 118 6 212 Farming area 12 400 11 834 18 291 Farming resources in Serbia are underused % of agricultural land in total land Number of ha per farmer % of farmers in overall population 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% 40 000 ha 119 750 35 000 ha 30 000 ha 25 000 ha 32 518 20 000 ha 15 000 ha 10 000 ha 3 282 5 000 ha 0 ha 5 522 811 404 121 22 CEFTA NMS EU15 Others
Unutrašnje okruženje Structure of the producers in Serbia is different from its competitors, and it is improving Households according ot the land ownership Structure of households in the overall agricultural land 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Srbija EU 27 vise od 100 ha 50-100 ha 20-50 ha 5-20 ha 2-5 ha manje od 2 ha 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Srbija EU 27 Gazdinstva sa: vise od 20 ha 5-20 ha 2-5 ha manje od 2 ha Households with less than 2ha are 47% of all households in Serbia, and own 10% of agricultural land. Farms with 20-50 ha in Serbia are 0.2%, and they own 32% of agricultural land. In EU farms from Romania (32%) and Italy (14%) make almost half (46%) of all households in EU. 49% households have less than 2ha and own 2% of all agricultural land. 3% of biggest farms that own more than 100 ha are owners of 50% of all agricultural land in EU-27.
25% 20% So who are small farmers in Serbia and where do they live? 22,52% 78,22% 75,59% 71,93% 70,08% 66,44% 64,23% 90% 80% 70% 15% 51,40% 47,58% 60% 50% 10% 5% 0% 7,95% 5,14% 7,19% 7,42% 6,33% 9,87% Subotica Kanjiža Sombor Zrenjanin Kikinda Novi Bečej 34,04% 5,47% Novi Pazar 7,08% 25,94% 11,09% 7,20% 7,34% 4,62% 0,53% 0,29% 0,60% 0,77% 0,78% Sjenica Tutin Niš Doljevac Gadžin Han Leskovac Merošina 20,32% 2,66% Raška 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Region Subotice Region Zrenjanina Region Novog Pazara Region Niša Region Kraljeva Gazdinstva sa više od 30 ha Gazdinstva sa više od 10 ha Gazdinstva Gazdinstva sa preko 100 ha Površina
Trends in small scale farming In Western Europe: Numbers of small farms decreasing Few big farms with many hectares or many animals ( mega farms ) Depopulation trend in countryside Agriculture a major source of environmental pollution and loss of biodiversity In Eastern Europe, including Serbia, the process is slower but still on the same track 650,000 family farms, households registered in Serbia Small farms play an important role in developing and transition countries Small farms important source of household income, employment and diet
BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY
Value of semi-subsistence and small-scale farming to rural Europe: WELLFARE Function in supporting social and economic welfare contribution to household budgets provides employment and income to rural communities increases food security at household level mitigates rural poverty forms a buffer in times of crisis Provides food and traditional products to society Preserve the rural natural-cultural landscape Upholds rural culture and tradition Crisis in Greece Many returned to small villages to start farming Pensioners return to support their pensions Young unemployed take up farming Municipality of Gadzin Han 8389 inhabitants, mean age 51, 3650 households 2508 registered farming households Most of them non-commercial 70% farms less than 2ha (UAA per farm 2,1 ha) Only 15 farms larger than 10 ha
Traditional know how and rural way of life are safeguarded by small scale farmers Genetic resources of specific plant varieties or breeds, agronomic, breeding techniques and raw material processing developed taking into account the specificities of the local environment and materials.
But.there are existential threats to semisubsistence and small-scale farming in rural Europe: Competition (and lack of competitiveness) Remoteness Lack of access to markets and value chains Lack of services such as health care, transport, internet Lack of internal sources (savings) and lack of technical and financial support Increasing production cost (fertilizers, etc) Climate change Low resilience after events such as floods, drought, pests Outmigration Succession issues
Value of semi-subsistence and small-scale farming to rural Europe: ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS Small scale farms or SSF often cultivate a variety of crops such as maize, potatoes, beans, vegetables and fruits, and combine these with 1 or 2 dairy cows, few poultry and several sheep and goats. This mixed farming contributes to a scenic landscape and to biodiversity Land is often fragmented and has natural elements such as meadows and hedgerows.
But also negative consequences of agriculture Conversion of forests and marshlands into agricultural land Loss of habitat for biodiversity Fragmentation of habitat, loss of corridors and stepping stones Loss of species and smaller population sizes, upsetting interspecies relations, etc. Loss of soil fertility and soil biodiversity Etc.
Plenty of bad practices Prakticne mere koje farmeri primenjuju da bi se oduprli posledicama klimatskih promena
Does small scale mean environmental friendly? WHAT MATTERS ARE PRACTICES NOT THE SIZE OF A LANDPLOT
Conversion to new practices to benefit environment and nature Prakticne mere koje farmeri primenjuju da bi se oduprli posledicama klimatskih promena
Other measures that can improve agriculture and conditions for biodiversity
Potentials for semi-subsistence and small-scale farming in rural Europe: Rural and eco-tourism Farmers as custodians of nature Other forms of farming such as wind farming and other renewable energies Farms providing ecosystem services such as flood protection Good quality food more organic, more natural, tradition, GI, better animal welfare, food with soul
Do small farmers have a political voice?
POLICIES OF MAINTAINING SMALL SCALE FARMING need to be developed Policies that will stimulate: Big farms and companies to invest into processing capacities and value chain organization (to which small farms can tap into) Middle sized farmers to invest in new technologies and knowledge, in new EU standards and increase of farms in order to increase competitiveness Small farmers to assist in diversification of their incomes and that farming remains for food safety and additional income For those who cannot support themselves (due to age or unfavorable areas) help them to supplement their income
Critical success factors: Villages have to find other functions/services than only food production Farmers need to receive sufficient technical and financial support Farmers need to be creative and innovative and be supported herein Infrastructure to facilitate new knowledge and access to the market Strive to provide the similar quality of life
How can small farms contribute to nature conservation? 1. Ban the use of BAP such as overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, burning of top soil, deep plough, monoculture, etc. 2. Apply GAP such as no-tillage, crop rotation, leave harvest residues 3. Restore natural vegetation in and around agricultural areas, including hedgerows, corridors, stepping stones 4. Naturally grazing meadows 5. Promote farmers to being custodians or stewards of nature 6. Government support and public-private partnership
What is required is an integrative approach: Ecosystem approach Ecosystem Services are the benefits humans obtain from ecosystems Examples: food, raw material, clean air and water, climate regulation, protection against extremes such as floods and storms, eco-tourism, habitat for biodiversity, etc. These can be valued in ecological, socio-cultural and economical values Ecosystems and the services they provide are dependent on ecological integrity and the proper structure and functioning of natural processes Agricultural systems are considered cultivated ecosystems and provide ecosystem services such as food and raw material Trick for small rural communities and farms is to find a right combination of ecosystem services, other products and find payment for them
Example:
Thank you for your attention www.seedev.org www.agrarije.com www.es-partnership.org jeroen.arends@seedev.org