Globalisation, European extension and family farming challenge for sociology

Abstract

 In all European countries, family farm peasant units coexist with small or medium agricultural enterprises. In spite of several modernisation theories announcement, peasant agriculture (partially integrated to non perfect markets) has not disappeared, especially in Eastern Europe countries. By the way, in Eastern Europe, peasant family agriculture is faced to the double challenge of globalisation and UE extension. Smallholders and family farmers will be confronted with rapid change and new forms of competition. Some of them are afraid by the small farmers exclusion process, that western Europe countries have experimented during the 60’s and 70’s, in a quite more favourable context, in terms of income and job opportunities in other sectors. This paper examines which kind of rural sociology theories, categories and methods can help to analyze these processes and challenge. Is it in terms of resistance, of survival or in terms of mutation of peasant societies? Is there still any place for a new “peasant based” project? On another hand, is there any real issue with the complete evolution of family agriculture to a market integrated firm-like model? What about the new condition of rural life and rural activities? What are the possibilities and the limits of the alliance and links between family farmers and other stakeholders, in order to renew co-ordination mechanisms and to redefine a new place for agriculture in the society? What could be, specifically, the sociological contribution of the notion of multifunctionality of agriculture and rural spaces?