National average statistics related to farm production mask the diversity in the Nation's 2 million farms and the people who operate them. Farms in the United States differ not only by size (sales and acres) and type of production, but also by organizational characteristics (land ownership,...

This paper briefly outlines a topology of small farms and then considers the role of the government versus the market in key public policies such as commodity income support, environment, stability, research, and rural development. A number of options are explored for public policy to better...

This article applies frontier production function analysis to small farms in Nicaragua during 1998-2005 (Battese and Coelli, 1988). The objective of this study is to estimate an average function that will provide a picture for the shape of the organic fertilizer technology of an average firm (in...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the costs of price and income subsidies when the food security policy targets the urban poor. The result may help policymakers choose a desired subsidy scheme to ensure food security for the urban poor facing food price surge....

ILO pub-WEP pub. Working paper on rural area poverty trends in Central America - summarizes findings of six case studies; looks at agricultural incomes, wages, and other poverty-linked economic indicators; examines impact of the export-oriented pattern of economic growth, particularly on small...

Looks into the role of credit unions as a channel for financial aid to the poor, with particular emphasis on assistance from USAID between 1968 and 1992. Suggests that more internal financing would help credit cooperatives achieve greater self-sufficiency.

ILO pub-WEP pub. Working paper on trends in the correlations between agrarian structures and rural area poverty in Panama since 1960 - documents the expansion of commercial farming for export at the expense of small farms producing food crops; discusses growing proletarianization of rural...