Family farmers in short food supply chains: a quantitative assessment of farmers’ markets

Abstract: Qualitative research projects have revealed the importance of short food supply chains for providing alternatives for family farmers marketing their agricultural goods. This study presents an additional contribution to these efforts by quantifying the participation of family farmers in farmers’ markets at the county level. It assesses to what extent farmers’ markets represent an alternative market channel by providing: (a) opportunities for family farmers selling their goods; (b) functional short food supply chains and; (c) alternatives to the industrial supply chains. Based on quantitative data from 59 markets, sampled from a universe of 369 farmers’ markets in the Brazilian State of Goiás, we found that 42.37% of the farmers’ markets offer opportunities for family farmers, 32.20% promote local short marketing channels, and 35.59% work as an alternative to the industrial agri-food systems. As a whole, 10.17% of the studied farmers’ markets meet the three above-mentioned objectives. Statistical regressions reveal that: 1) the lower the percentage of middlemen and the greater the percentage of family farmers taking part in farming organizations, the greater the number of stands owned by family farmers; 2) the greater the relevance of the farmers’ market in both the organization of farmers and in the catalysis of new business, the greater the positive influence on public policies.