Extending the definition of small scale fisheries is a recurrent issue in policy and research debates. A broader definition of small scale fisheries would need to encompass, in addition to vessel size attributes such as vessel length, variables relating to their local operational range,their social role in coastal communities and...

The aim of the project Protein Tips was to increase the amount of locally produced fodder, as a response to climate change, in order to reduce the need to import soy beans for protein fodder. Research showed that the use of locally produced protein fodder crops could considerably improve the...

Stafva farm has been in the von Corswant family since 1862. At present Patrik von Corswant is the owner and responsible for the management. The farm formerly comprised about 550 ha but is now divided between several owners.   The main farm has about 50 hectares of arable land and 50...

Norup Farm is situated in Skåne, 20 km north of Kristianstad, in South Sweden. It is owned and cultivated by the Norup family and has been in the family since the beginning of the 20th century. The main crop is potato, but there is also a production of cereals, peas,...

Fårdala Farm is run by Claes and Gunnar Bergstrand, together with their families. Claes and Gunnar, who are first cousins, are the third generation on the farm. The business is operated as a sole propriatorship formed in 1991.   Fårdala is located on the slope of Varvsberget Mountain about 15 km...

Knowledge exchange has been achieved by allowing people to meet in several hundred forums. Major conferences and seminars have acted as meeting points for advisors, experts and decision makers, enabling vivid discussions on all dimensions of nutrients. Small-scale farmer-to-farmer meetings have also been important in enabling more detailed discussions about...

Organic farming no longer serves a niche market in the European Union (EU). In spite of the global economic crisis, the mainstreaming of organic products has maintained its impressive trajectory: since 2008 there has been an average annual growth rate of 8%; annual turnover has risen to €20 billion; and more than 500...

In the world, more than 80 per cent of farms are family farms – in total more than 500 million economic and social entities. In Europe 25 million people, 172 million hectares of agricultural land and 12 million farms are involved in EU agricultural production. A vast majority of these...

In constrained environments such as mountainous and Mediterranean areas the sustainable use of forage resources by domestic herbivores has to combine production, conservation of high environmental value areas and product quality. The sustainability of animal production systems relies on their ability to reconcile economic performance based on the added value...

The concept of “High Nature Value farming” developed in the early 1990s from a growing recognition that the conservation of biodiversity in Europe depends on the continuation of low-intensity farming systems across large areas of countryside (see Beaufoy et al., 1994; Bignal et al., 1994; Bignal & McCracken, 1996; 2000)....

In Stockholm, local fishermen have long been isolated, dependent on long chain marketing and lacking opportunities to sell their fish locally. With the support of the FLAG, fishermen developed the Stockholm fish market: regular urban events where local fishermen can sell fresh, local and traceable seafood directly to urban customers,...

Family farming is the most common operational farming model in Europe – representing 97 % of the European Union’s (EU) 12 million farms. Thus it is of great importance in the EU. It covers a diverse range of situations, including farms of all sizes. While there are obvious differences across...

12 million farms, 172 million hectares of agricultural land, 25 million people involved in agricultural production – these are some of the key data for the EU farming sector in 2010; but what about the situation of individual farms and how do things differ between Member States and as compared...

The reason the project was started was the promotion of local products as well as revitalising old professions such as black-smithing, embroidery, cooperage and also increasing profits for local communities of rural areas. The idea was developed by the board of LAG „Podbabiogórze“. Local product is very important both for...

The Baltic EcoMussel project aims to accelerate the adoption of mussel farming in the Baltic Sea Region by providing information and tools to support investments. Recent research shows that commercial farming of mussels in the Baltic Sea Region can be viable and offers socio-economic and environmental benefits. Commercial farming of...

Domestic and donor-driven development agendas for African agriculture are spurring smallholder family farming as a catalyst for food security and poverty reduction. Family farms are also the backbone of agriculture in the European Union, although the process of concentration has gone further than in Africa. European agricultural policy reforms now...

All businesses need to innovate if they are to thrive, and family farms are no exception. By thinking ahead and developing new approaches, farmers can increase output, develop new and improved products, diversify and tap into new income streams, and remain environmentally sustainable. Innovative farms are more likely to weather...

13 farmers’ organizations from eight countries within the Baltic Farmers’ Forum on the Environment (BFFE) present their contribution for sustainable farming around the Baltic Sea. Farmers are aware of their key role in water management in light of the sensitive Baltic Sea, and as part of the overall sustainable development...

Agriculture and rural life seem to have found the right appeal for Europe's young people between 17 and 20 years of age, especially among those living in rural areas and who have had work experience in a farm. This is the key result of the survey carried out by the...

The modernization of Swedish and European agriculture in the past century has increased yields immensely. At the same time, modernization has led to a uniform, biologically depleted agricultural landscape and a number of other negative impacts. Most serious of these impacts are reduced biodiversity, pollution of water and the air,...