agreste

Agreste cahiers n° 1 - mars 2000

The economic size of ongoing farms increased by an average of 11 % between 1990 and 1997.

The economic size of ongoing farms increased by an average of 11 % between 1990 and 1997. Behind this average figure, the widely divergent individual cases are due as much to human factors as to technico-economic ones. Young farmers develop the economic potential of their farms, whereas older farmers give up part of theirs. For farmers of the same age, the marital status of the farmer also counts in his projects for extension. Last, the initial size and the technical orientations of the farm affect its development. The increase in salaried work matches that of the economic potential. But it does not make up for the much larger decrease in family work. Farms are developing their potentials, but are using less labour.