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The Chinese Government relies heavily on increasing farming scale to address the new challenges facing China’s agricultural development. A basket of polices targeted at increasing farming scale has been issued in recent years thereby resulting to debates over large-scale farming in China. The purpose of this paper is to summarize and highlight the debate over China’s on-going large-scale farming.

This paper contributes to the policy debates over large-scale farming in China by reviewing the existing literature on the positive and negative impacts of large-scale farming on agricultural development, land productivity, and national food security. This paper overviews the different ideas and findings of studies associated with the topic.

The mainstream literature supports the idea that large-scale farming will address the challenges facing China’s agricultural development, while others argue that it crowds out the benefits of small farmers, and raises concerns over inequalities of resources allocation and income distribution, and undermines social stability. While proponents argue that large-scale farming may lead to rise in land productivity, opponents argue that it may result into decrease in land productivity and national grain output.

This paper is a policy review based on existing works. It organizes the different debates over large-scale farming in China, and highlights the key arguments put forward.

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the contribution of revenue and consumption cost of soybean farmers.

Design/Methodology/Approach – Data analysis was done by quantitative descriptive analysis. Data were obtained in the form of numbers then the results of the obtained data were presented in the form of a systematic description. The sample in this study is the entire population of soybean farmers in Muara Batu, Aceh Utara by using census method as much as 50 farmers.

Findings – The results showed that the contribution of soybean farm revenue amounted to 6.94%, non-soybean farming amounted to 48.12%, and out farm activities amounted to 44.94%. This indicates that soybean farming activities are enough to contribute to increase the family revenue. Meanwhile, the average amount of household cost for food is 16,696,800 IDR/Year and for non-food is 8,397,500 IDR/Year. The analysis shows that although the contribution of soybean farming revenue is the lowest than the other farms’ revenue, it is very helpful to the farmers for fulfilling the needs of family consumption cost every year.

Research Limitations/Implications – The object of this research is to study all the farmers who utilize the land for soybean farming in Muara Batu. The research limitations are income contribution and consumption cost of soybean farmers.

Practical Implications – The amount of soybean production produced by farmers is much lower. However, the farmers can still increase their income if the amount of production can be increased by more intensification of soybean farming as tough as the use of superior varieties of soil processing, organic fertilizer on soil, balanced and integrated pest control, and harvesting and post-harvesting to reduce food loses.

Originality/Value – The farmers earned revenue not only from soybeans, but also from non-soybean farm and out farm. Soybean farming activities aim to increase revenues in order to meet the needs of the family that consist of food and non–food consumptions.

This study aims to investigate the landscape of family-based organic farm businesses in the Kashmir Valley, India, analyzing the factors that either facilitate or hinder their adoption. The research also intends to uncover sources of information seeking. The primary purpose is to provide qualitative evidence to address existing knowledge gaps and offer insights for promoting sustainable farm practices in the region.

The research employs a qualitative approach, drawing on focus group interviews. The study thoroughly explores the background and relevant literature, utilizing a comprehensive research framework. Data is collected from family based farmers engaged in organic farming practices in the Kashmir Valley. The data is analyzed using content analysis ensuring a robust and thorough exploration of the subject matter.

This study reveals a notable transition in the agricultural landscape of the Kashmir Valley, showcasing a widespread adoption of organic farming on considerable land. The study reveals that key facilitators for organic farming among family-based farms are farm productivity, entrepreneurial intention, governance, environmental consciousness, and health concerns. The exchange of information, both through formal and informal channels, is found to be a crucial factor influencing the adoption of organic farming. The study also unveiled significant inhibitors that hinder the adoption of organic farming on commercial scales, including on-farm challenges such as difficulties in acquiring inputs and facing reduced yields, market-related concerns, and a lack of support and assistance from government agencies.

This research contributes significantly to the existing literature by advancing the understanding of organic farm business and agri-entrepreneurship. It unveils key factors that either support or hinder family-based organic farms, identifying crucial information sources and presenting valuable insights for policymakers. Furthermore, this study provides practical guidance for overcoming obstacles, enhancing infrastructure, and translating identified facilitators into successful agri-ventures in the Kashmir region.

While land management can be a subject of conflict in places where the composition of landowners is socially and culturally diverse, it also holds the potential of bringing landowners together across social groups. This chapter uses the case of a peri-urban area near Copenhagen, Denmark, to examine the relations landowners have through their use and management of land within and across social groups. To elaborate the analysis and discussion of social groups, social coherence and fragmentation, this chapter introduces the concepts of homophily and self-categorisation. Interviews with 40 landowners from two parishes addressed four types of land-based relations: (1) exchange of help and services; (2) debate of farming/management; (3) shared interests and (4) friendship. While the pattern of relations overall supported the idea that people interact more with their own social group, the analysis also showed areas of interaction across groups as well. Three overall themes summarise important areas of cohesion/fragmentation: (1) Rented land and contracting, (2) Common interests between landowners including hunting, farming and horses, (3) Urgency and geographic proximity.

Social Entrepreneurship, Organizational Behavior.

This case is suitable to be used in advanced undergraduate and MBA/MSc level.

This case teaches about green organization, its opportunity, challenges, and attitude toward sustainable agriculture. The Babylon Vertical Farms (BVF) is an agricultural and technological company that grew high-quality hydroponic vegetables and herbs with minimum use of sunlight, soil, and pesticides. BVF used recycled water through reverse osmosis process with the target to decrease cultivated time to less than six hours, when compared to the typical 18 hours, apart from minimizing water usage up to 90%. Knowing its potential, Stuart Thomas, the founder and his team planned to increase the farm production to 2,000–3,000 kg a month from 1,000 kg a month. The farm required RM150,000 to acquire resources and to extend its farm infrastructure. Stuart and his team had to make feasible and practical decision in gaining their funds to execute the business to be one that is sustainable and green. As a social entrepreneur, Stuart also wanted to address poverty-related hunger. A group of investors was ready to invest and asked for 30% equity. Stuart was tempted to take the offer. If he rejected the offer, the farm could lose the opportunity to scale-up its operation. At the same time, if he accepted the offer, he might lose control over the business one day.

The learning outcomes are as follows:

• to expose students to the various forms of urban farming that a social entrepreneur can venture into;

• to expose students to the benefits of green business;

• to evaluate potential opportunities and threats of a green organization using SWOT analysis; and

• to recommend a possible strategy to build a sustainable agriculture farm that is economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible.

to expose students to the various forms of urban farming that a social entrepreneur can venture into;

to expose students to the benefits of green business;

to evaluate potential opportunities and threats of a green organization using SWOT analysis; and

to recommend a possible strategy to build a sustainable agriculture farm that is economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible.

Purpose – This study compares the arrival of large-scale dairy farming in two New Zealand regions since 1984 with a particular focus on the competition between sheep farming and dairy farming.

Design/methodology/approach – The case study draws on qualitative interviews with 58 farmers in two regions.

Findings – We identify and compare the changing economic, social and cultural hierarchies in and between the two regions.

Originality/value – This study extends a typical political economic comparison by emphasising the changes in social and cultural capital as a result of the changing economic conditions in the country and the regions.

Purpose – Using examples from Australia, Finland and The Netherlands, we describe the sociocultural processes that influence farmers. We outline the styles of farming approach as an explanation of diversity (heterogeneity) and the farming scripts approach as an explanation of conformity (continuity and tradition).

Methodology – This chapter is a theoretical comparison that draws on earlier work of the authors. The research into styles of farming used focus groups and interviews, while the research on farming scripts is based on an analysis of biographies submitted for a national writing competition or gained by narrative interview.

Findings – We argue that there are a number of farming scripts that may well be universal, at least within family farming in western cultures. We found that the concept of styles of farming is a useful heuristic device, but that it was difficult to use in practice to use to classify farmers. We conclude that both style and script are needed to account for the full range of sociocultural influences on farmers.

Practical implications – Our chapter seeks to expand understanding of the social lives of farming families and to increase the realisation that farming is a sociocultural practice. Efforts to change agriculture need to be mindful of this fundamental dimension of farming practice if they are to be successful.

Originality – The analysis we have undertaken is the only theoretical comparison of these approaches.

This chapter examines changes in smallholder agriculture in terms of processes of de-agrarianization in a rapidly changing regional economy of Costa Rica long characterized by small-scale commercial coffee farming.

The study is based on multiple periods (1990–1991, 1993, 2006, 2010–2012) of ethnographic research on household economic strategies among farming families in two districts in the canton of Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica.

Though occupational multiplicity and non-farm-based livelihoods are on the rise, smallholder agriculture continues to play a substantial role in the livelihood strategies of both young and old and in the regional economy, not in spite of these trends, but because an expanding business sector and an increase in non-farm employment opportunities are creating a demand for agricultural produce and providing new opportunities for smallholders to diversify agricultural production, stabilize their incomes and maintain a significant presence in the regional economy. Specific historic conditions and state policies have been important factors in shaping rural economic change, livelihood strategies and smallholder agriculture in this region.

Sample sizes are relatively small and some data on children’s economic activities were obtained second hand from siblings and/or parents.

This research has implications for policy makers, planners and social activists interested in agrarian change.

This research provides an important longitudinal lens on the economic strategies of farming households, processes of de-agrarianization and the persistence of small-scale family farmers in today’s world.

Changing conditions for farming force farmers to search for new ways to organize agricultural production. In dairy farming, households experience long working hours, inconvenient working conditions, and low incomes. Dairy markets are beleaguered by overproduction, low prices on staple dairy products, and low return to labor and capital. This structural squeeze, which is aggravated by quick technological changes and the globalization of markets, is negotiated in various ways by dairy farmers in different agricultural regimes. A recent coping strategy for dairy farmers in Norway has been joint farming, a process whereby two, three, or even more farmers establish a joint company to merge their resources and work together. These joint farmers enjoy more leisure time, greater security in case of illness, and improved work environments. Why is joint farming so successful in Norway? One main explanation is the difference between agricultural regimes, which places the Norwegian dairy farmer in a privileged position when it comes to building coping capacity.

This article intends to explore critical factors that affect the adoption of organic farming in emerging economies. The authors respond to the calls from policymakers, non-government organizations, business firms and scholars to improve the farmers' awareness of the negative impact of synthetic chemical pesticides, phosphorus, potassium fertilizers and mineral nitrogen used in traditional farming.

Through self-administered survey questionnaires, responses were obtained from 397 farmers (conventional) regarding organic farming adoption in Haryana (India). The survey responses were collected between October 2022 and December 2022. The authors apply the “partial least squares structural equation modeling” (PLS-SEM) to test the framed hypotheses.

The present article demonstrates six critical determinants of organic farming adoption, i.e. behavioral, cultivation, economic, governmental, marketing, and social factors. These six factors drive 71.0% (R²) variation in organic farming adoption. Governmental factors have a positive but insignificant influence on organic farming adoption. Interestingly, the impact of behavioral and cultivation factors is crucial per path coefficient values.

For the first time, the authors conducted a study on organic farming adoption in Haryana that lies in its context-specific implementation, utilization of localized knowledge and expertise, regional policy support, agricultural diversification and community participation. Future research can build upon by adding agriculture scientists to the study to respond to the cost, quality of the crop and impact of socio-economic policies as moderators/mediators on adoption decisions.