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Publication
Recognizing diversity to enable an agroecological transition: understanding the potential of family farmers in Portugal
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The agroecological transition of family farms in Portugal poses a significant challenge within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Green Deal. Despite their multifunctional contributions to rural territories, family farms—particularly smallholders—remain structurally disadvantaged by policy frameworks that continue to favor large-scale, high-input agricultural models. This study demonstrates that aligning family farming with agroecological principles yields tangible benefits and requires support through differentiated, typology-sensitive public policies. Using a tailored methodology, data were collected from 40 farms initially classified as conventional or agroecological. Ward’s hierarchical clustering, supported by complementary significance tests, identified three distinct farmer typologies:
conventional, proto-agroecological, and agroecological. These typologies reflect meaningful differences in ecological integration, systemic thinking, and social engagement. The findings highlight the need for targeted policy frameworks that recognize farm diversity and promote multiple pathways toward agroecology. This typology-based approach provides an empirically grounded foundation for designing more inclusive and context-responsive institutional support for family farmers in Portugal.
Description
The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the financial support to the Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society — CERNAS (UIDB/00681) and GreenUPorto, supported by national funds via FCT under the Strategic Projects UIDB/05748/2020 and UIDP/05748/2020 (doi: 10.54499/UIDB/05748/2020 and doi: 10.54499/UIDP/05748/2020). We are also grateful to the GrowLIFE project (Grant Agreement No. 101074425, LIFE21-GIC-PT-GrowLIFE) for the opportunity to apply the methodology as part of its Work Package: Participatory Visits to Sustainable Farms, and to the PAGE Project (Ref: RR-C05-i03-I-000217) for the opportunity to implement the methodology within the scope of its initiatives.
Keywords
Agroecology Food systems Territorial governance Policy instruments Cluster analysis
Pedagogical Context
Citation
PEREIRA, Inês Costa [et al.] (2025) -