EPAR TECHNICAL BRIEF #396B
Fri, 08/15/2025
AUTHORS: Didier Yelognisse Alia, Becca Toole, Federico Trindade and C. Leigh Anderson
ABSTRACT: Agricultural producers in food systems face differential climate risks given heterogeneity in land size, farming systems, labor endowments, proximity to markets, and other socio-economic characteristics. While there is broad agreement that small-scale producers (SSPs) are the most vulnerable segment of food systems, there remains a lack of consensus on a definition of SSPs, complicating tracking and targeting SSPs to strengthen their role in inclusive food system transformation. This technical brief reviews the literature to synthesize the key indicators commonly used to define SSPs and builds on an analysis of nationally representative agricultural survey data to formulate an operational definition to guide the research of the UW Center for Risk and Inclusion in Food Systems (CRIFS).
TYPE OF RESEARCH: Literature Review
RESEARCH TOPIC CATEGORY: Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia