Global average socio-economic farm size may triple by 2100.

ABSTRACT: Farm size is vital for food production and environmental outcomes, yet global dynamics remain unclear. In this study, we introduce an indicator as 'socio-economic farm size' defined as the agricultural land area divided by the number of farms. Unlike purely geophysical measures, socio-economic farm size incorporates demographic, labor, and economic factors, providing a more holistic understanding of farm size dynamics. Our long-term dataset reveals a 15% decline in global average socio-economic farm size from 1970 to 2000, a 14% increase from 2000 to 2020, and may triple by 2100 under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 2 (middle pathway) scenario. While Europe, Northern America, and Oceania saw exponential growth in recent decades, regions like India and Sub-Saharan Africa experienced reduct

SUBMITTER: Wang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12534373 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature