Rendering smallholders social: Taking a social relations approach to understanding the persistence of smallholders in the rural Global South

Abstract

Drawing on 36 studies in 19 countries and three continents, conducted over forty years, this paper revisits the question of how and why smallholders - and smallholdings - persist in the Global South even under conditions of rapid social and economic transformation. The paper argues that a significant part of the answer to this question can be found by taking a social relational approach: by 'rendering' the smallholder social. We identify five social themes that have resonance notwithstanding very different historical inheritances, environmental conditions, political contexts, and economic and developmental situations. Smallholder households feed a significant population of the world, educate the next generation, care for the sick and support those in need, cushion workers when economies contract and jobs evaporate, create communities, underpin national growth, and manage the land. Bringing these roles and qualities into view makes clear that smallholders, far from being relict survivors are critical actors in contemporary rural and urban transformations.

Keywords

Social relations; Livelihoods; Smallholders; Agriculture; Care work; Global south

Published in

Journal of Rural Studies
2024, volume: 111, article number: 103432
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

• Hajdu, Flora

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Rigg, Jonathan

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Bristol

• Bergman Lodin, Johanna

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Fischer, Klara

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Marquardt, Kristina

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Khatri, Dil

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Leder, Stephanie

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Varley, Gwendolyn

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Karltun, Linley Chiwona

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Sandström, Emil

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Bartholdson, Örjan

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Engström, Linda

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Beckman, Malin

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Alarcón Ferrari, Cristián

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Human Geography

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103432

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132908