Food Security: Role of Smallholder Farms

The degree of availability of food to all the individuals is termed as food security. It involves physical and economic access to sufficient quantities of food at all times. The food must be safe, nutritious and able to meet the dietary requirements of an individual. Food security is governed by four factors, namely, food availability, food access, utilization and stability. A small farm that operates under a small-scale agriculture model is termed as small holder or smallholding. These farms generally support a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. Examples of post-harvest activities are storage, commercial and in-home processing and preparation. The book studies, analyses and upholds the pillars of food security and its utmost significance in modern times. From theories to research to practical applications, case studies related to all contemporary topics of relevance to this field have been included herein. As this field is emerging at a fast pace, this book will help the readers to better understand the concepts of food security and role of smallholder farms.