1428. The Role of Farms by Size in Transboundary Food Supply Chains

Despite the critical role that farmers play in our daily lives, little is known about who produces our food. Today, in most countries, food is sourced from farms and farm households across multiple continents, and in many countries, remote food producers have a significant influence on national food consumption. Therefore, a global perspective is needed to answer the fundamental question: "Who feeds us?"

A paper published in Nature Food combined country-specific agricultural production patterns with agricultural trade data to assess the global contribution of farms of various sizes to national food consumption. Specifically, the authors estimated the contribution of agricultural production to food consumption for 209 commodities across 198 countries by farm size category: very small (≤2 ha), small (>2–20 ha), medium (>20–50 ha), large (>50–200 ha), and very large (>200 ha). Their findings suggest that national food supply chains do not match domestic production patterns, as countries rely on other countries with different agricultural systems for food and also export food.

Their analysis revealed that very small (≤2 hectares) and small (>2–20 hectares) farms significantly contribute to national food consumption in all countries studied. Notably, food from, these farms accounted for approximately one-third (31.1%) of average food consumption in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, with a more pronounced role in countries such as Israel (49.1%), Japan (43.9%), and the Republic of Korea (41.0%). While smallholders accounted for only a small share of domestic agricultural production in countries like Australia, Canada, and the United States, these countries have relied heavily on importing from regions where smallholder farming is prevalent, particularly for fruits and vegetables. For example, Australia, where smallholder farming is largely absent, imported from countries where smallholder farming was widespread, with 12.2% of its fruits sourced from Iran, 30.2% of its vegetables from India, and 15.3% of its pulses from Myanmar. Similarly, the United States imported 49.7% of its vegetables and 17.7% of its fruits from Mexico, and 13.3% of its fruits from Guatemala. Despite being a major food exporter, the Netherlands imports 14.2% and 9.1% of its fruits from Spain and Egypt, respectively, and 11.1% of its vegetables from Spain, demonstrating the thriving small-scale agriculture in these regions. These findings highlight the significant contribution of small-scale farmers to overall food consumption in OECD countries. In non-OECD countries, the contribution of very small-scale farmers (<2 hectares) and small-scale farmers (>2–20 hectares) was even more pronounced, accounting for almost half (44.2%) of total consumption on average.

In regions where small-scale agriculture is widespread (e.g., Western Asia, North Africa, and Eastern Africa), agricultural imports originate from countries and sectors dominated by large-scale agriculture. Previous studies have highlighted the important role of very small-scale and small-scale farmers (<20 hectares) in low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China, where these farms account for more than 75% of food production. However, this study found that a farm's contribution to domestic food production is not necessarily an appropriate indicator of its role in domestic food consumption, due to countries' dependence on other countries with different agricultural systems. Countries dominated by small-scale farming (such as China and India) rely on imports of agricultural products (e.g., grains and oilseeds) from large farms. Both China and India are likely to experience increased demand for grains and oilseeds over the next few years due to their growing populations and improving socioeconomic status. This could lead to further growth of large, industrialized farms in South and Central America at the expense of small farms producing more diverse foods, reflecting the increasing intensification and industrialization of agriculture to meet growing global food demand.

These findings may help high-income countries understand the impact of policies to reduce environmental impacts in their food supply chains. For example, policies like the European Union's deforestation restrictions could require capacity building to geolocate farms and ensure product traceability. This may be easier for smallholder farmers who are members of cooperatives connect more with each other and exchange information more easily, but it may be more difficult for others who do not have these tools. This highlights the need to identify and support farmers operating in and affected by food supply chains in high-income countries. Cuts in foreign aid by OECD countries (particularly the US and Europe) will have a severe impact on smallholder farmers producing for these markets.

By linking trade information with agricultural production data, the paper offers the possibility of identifying which supply chains smallholder farmers are most vulnerable in and where targeted support through trade-sensitive policies and support mechanisms is most needed.

The paper calls for research that takes into account the diverse roles, impacts, and vulnerabilities of farmers across borders.

(Reference)
Taherzadeh, O., Cai, H. & Mogollón, J.M. Small farms contribute a third of the food consumption in high-income nations. Nat Food 7, 66–73 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01276-y

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki, Information Program