Further, small farms have multiple functions which large farms lack. They embody diversity - biodiversity, diversity of ownership, of cropping systems, landscapes, culture and traditions. Small farms produce environmental benefits in terms of soil, water and wildlife. Special reference should be made to indigenous peoples as creators and conservers of agrobiodiversity, and holders of knowledge, practices and innovation systems that sustain food security in large areas of the planet. Decentralized land-ownership encourages economic opportunity in rural areas.
Small farms create a personal connection to food through rural-urban exchanges and farmers markets.
They are vital to the economy, both in developed and developing countries. The vital role of women in food production and rural well-being, especially in the South, must be supported in agricultural policy and communicated in education and training. This vision of a sustainable food system for farmers, farmworkers, traders and consumers can only be achieved through a participatory approach. Sustainable agriculture is not a fixed set of practices or policies but a process of social learning and participatory research, starting with the assets already within communities, and supplying targets and indicators to measure progress. Farmers live in highly variable and diverse environments - soils, water regime, biological fertility, etc.