IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i13p3745-d246781.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainability Assessment of Agricultural Systems in Paraguay: A Comparative Study Using FAO’s SAFA Framework

Author

Listed:
  • Alice Soldi

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A, 43124 Parma (PR), Italy)

  • Maria José Aparicio Meza

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Campus Universitario, Avda. Mariscal López, km 10, San Lorenzo 2160, Paraguay)

  • Marianna Guareschi

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Aziendali, Università degli Studi di Parma, Via Kennedy, 6, 43125 Parma (PR), Italy)

  • Michele Donati

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/A, 43124 Parma (PR), Italy)

  • Amado Insfrán Ortiz

    (Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Campus Universitario, Avda. Mariscal López, km 10, San Lorenzo 2160, Paraguay)

Abstract

Sustainability is a topic that is at the center of current discussions in the political, economic, social, and environmental fields. For its analysis, an integral and multidisciplinary vision is needed. This work aims to assess the sustainability of agricultural systems in Paraguay through a comparison applying SAFA (Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems) indicators. The research focuses on 15 case studies on the territory of the Eastern Region of Paraguay divided into five classes of agricultural systems: agribusiness, conventional peasant family farming, agroecological peasant family farming, neo-rural farming, and indigenous agriculture. Data were collected through interviews with producers and key informants, direct observation, and scientific literature research in order to assess, through the SAFA Tool Software, the level of sustainability of each agricultural system as a whole and for each sustainability dimension (political, environmental, economic, and social dimension) in a comparative way. It has emerged that producers belonging to conventional peasant family farming, agroecological peasant family farming, neo-rural farming, and indigenous agriculture have achieved levels of sustainability that are similar to each other and very good in all four dimensions of sustainability. Meanwhile, agribusiness achieved moderate scores in the dimensions of governance and environmental integrity, and was good in the economic and social dimension.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice Soldi & Maria José Aparicio Meza & Marianna Guareschi & Michele Donati & Amado Insfrán Ortiz, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Agricultural Systems in Paraguay: A Comparative Study Using FAO’s SAFA Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-30, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3745-:d:246781
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/13/3745/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/13/3745/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Graeub, Benjamin E. & Chappell, M. Jahi & Wittman, Hannah & Ledermann, Samuel & Kerr, Rachel Bezner & Gemmill-Herren, Barbara, 2016. "The State of Family Farms in the World," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-15.
    2. Kate Mailfert, 2007. "New Farmers And Networks: How Beginning Farmers Build Social Connections In France," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 98(1), pages 21-31, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shu Yu & Yongtong Mu, 2022. "Sustainable Agricultural Development Assessment: A Comprehensive Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Balezentis, Tomas & Zickiene, Agne & Volkov, Artiom & Streimikiene, Dalia & Morkunas, Mangirdas & Dabkiene, Vida & Ribasauskiene, Erika, 2023. "Measures for the viable agri-food supply chains: A multi-criteria approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    3. Ambrogio Zanzi & Valentina Vaglia & Roberto Spigarolo & Stefano Bocchi, 2021. "Assessing Agri-Food Start-Ups Sustainability in Peri-Urban Agriculture Context," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Xiaolei Geng & Dou Zhang & Chengwei Li & Yanyao Li & Jingling Huang & Xiangrong Wang, 2020. "Application and Comparison of Multiple Models on Agricultural Sustainability Assessments: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, December.
    5. Noha Mahmoud & Allan Leck Jensen & Cairistiona F. E. Topp & Claus Aage Grøn Sørensen & Michael Nørremark & Vera Eory & Nicholas J. Hutchings, 2021. "A Method to Quantify the Detailed Risk of Serious Injury in Agricultural Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-16, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luis Bauluz & Yajna Govind & Filip Novokmet, 2020. "Global Land Inequality," PSE Working Papers halshs-03022318, HAL.
    2. Tina D. Beuchelt & Rafaël Schneider & Liliana Gamba, 2022. "Integrating the right to food in sustainability standards: A theory of change to move global supply chains from responsibilities to impacts," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1864-1889, December.
    3. Boza, S. & Mora, M. & Osorio, F. & Munoz, J., 2018. "Family farmer attitudes toward incorporating into the formal economy," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276960, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Monica Patricia Camas-Nafate & Peggy Alvarez-Gutiérrez & Edgar Valenzuela-Mondaca & Roger Castillo-Palomera & Yolanda del Carmen Perez-Luna, 2019. "Improved Agricultural Products Drying Through a Novel Double Collector Solar Device," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-13, May.
    5. Emily Mutea & Stephan Rist & Johanna Jacobi, 2020. "Applying the Theory of Access to Food Security among Smallholder Family Farmers around North-West Mount Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-14, February.
    6. Luxon Nhamo & James Magidi & Adolph Nyamugama & Alistair D. Clulow & Mbulisi Sibanda & Vimbayi G. P. Chimonyo & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2020. "Prospects of Improving Agricultural and Water Productivity through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Lu, Wencong & Horlu, Godwin Seyram Agbemavor Kwasi, 2019. "Transition of small farms in Ghana: perspectives of farm heritage, employment and networks," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 434-452.
    8. Adam Salifu & Godwin Seyram Agbemavor Horlu, 2022. "Nonfarm employment and mobility of farmers into different income groups: evidence from rural Ghana," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 1-25, January.
    9. P. P. Braga, Daniel & Pokorny, Benno & Porro, Roberto & Vidal, Edson, 2023. "Good life in the Amazon? A critical reflection on the standard of living of cocoa and cattle-based smallholders in Pará, Brazil," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    10. Galaz, Victor & Centeno, Miguel A. & Callahan, Peter W. & Causevic, Amar & Patterson, Thayer & Brass, Irina & Baum, Seth & Farber, Darryl & Fischer, Joern & Garcia, David & McPhearson, Timon & Jimenez, 2021. "Artificial intelligence, systemic risks, and sustainability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    11. Pindado, Emilio & Sánchez, Mercedes & Verstegen, Jos A.A.M. & Lans, Thomas, 2018. "Searching for the entrepreneurs among new entrants in European Agriculture: the role of human and social capital," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 19-30.
    12. Lele, Uma, 2022. "Productivity by Farm Size and Food Security," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 323943, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Nan Chen & Xinglong Yang & Nicola Shadbolt, 2020. "The Balanced Scorecard as a Tool Evaluating the Sustainable Performance of Chinese Emerging Family Farms—Evidence from Jilin Province in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-27, August.
    14. West, Thales A.P. & Monge, Juan J. & Dowling, Les J. & Wakelin, Steve J. & Gibbs, Holly K., 2020. "Promotion of afforestation in New Zealand’s marginal agricultural lands through payments for environmental services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    15. Minh Ngo & Michael Brklacich, 2014. "New farmers’ efforts to create a sense of place in rural communities: insights from southern Ontario, Canada," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(1), pages 53-67, March.
    16. Yinsheng Yang & Qianwei Zhuang & Guangdong Tian & Silin Wei, 2018. "A Management and Environmental Performance Evaluation of China’s Family Farms Using an Ultimate Comprehensive Cross-Efficiency Model (UCCE)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-25, December.
    17. Guiomar, N. & Godinho, S. & Pinto-Correia, T. & Almeida, M. & Bartolini, F. & Bezák, P. & Biró, M. & Bjørkhaug, H. & Bojnec, Š. & Brunori, G. & Corazzin, M. & Czekaj, M. & Davidova, S. & Kania, J. & K, 2018. "Typology and distribution of small farms in Europe: Towards a better picture," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 784-798.
    18. Martin Javornicky & Áine Macken-Walsh & Anita Naughton, 2021. "Emerging Beef Producer Organisations (POs) in the Irish Beef Sector: An Analysis of Media Coverage in the Context of Nationwide Beef Producer Protests," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, February.
    19. Mark E. Caulfield & James Hammond & Steven J. Fonte & Mark van Wijk, 2020. "Land Tenure Insecurity Constrains Cropping System Investment in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Zegar, Józef, 2020. "The Perspectives of Family Farms – Continuation," Problems of Agricultural Economics / Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej 311228, Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics - National Research Institute (IAFE-NRI).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3745-:d:246781. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.