A conceptual framework for alternative farmers’ strategic choices: the case of French organic market gardening microfarms

ABSTRACT

Alternative farming systems are challenging classical agronomic frameworks because their aim is to promote human and ecosystems welfare rather than profit maximization. The objective of our work was to understand how alternative farmers build their strategic choices. Through a multiple-case qualitative study of 14 organic market gardening microfarms in the northern half of France, we developed a systemic conceptual framework in which strategic decision making is integrated with a wide range of social and environmental aspirations. As these various aspirations can be in tension, it is relevant to consider tradeoffs between them to study the viability of alternative farms.

KEYWORDS:

• Agroecology
• permaculture
• small farms
• systemic approach
• tradeoffs

Additional information

Funding

We also thank the Ile-de-France Region for supporting financially this work.