By Daniel Wiegant and Soumya Balasubramanya

This Plain Language Summary is published in advance of the paper discussed. Please check back soon for a link to the full paper.

We want to understand how groups of small-scale farmers can help improve soil health and vegetation cover on their land.

When we talk about groups of small farmers,  we are including both formal groups, such as farmer cooperatives, and informal groups, such as multiple farmers helping each other on the land. To understand more about this, we reviewed recent scientific literature and analyzed 72 articles to understand how farmer groups encourage their members to use ecologically sustainable farming practices. We highlight four distinct roles formal and informal farmer groups play. First, they help farmers work together more effectively. Second, they connect farmers with organizations from outside the rural community, such as government agencies, NGOs, and businesses, to communicate the interests and needs of farmers. Third, they offer services that help farmers earn more from crop cultivation while improving soil health and vegetation cover on their farm. Fourth, they help farmers gain access to the knowledge and skills needed to apply such practices, by helping to organize training and share experiences.

Most studies focused on the role of farmer groups in knowledge sharing and skills development, while less frequently addressing the other three roles. We recommend that governments and other organizations, through their farm support services, assist small-scale farmers in using farming methods that improve soil health and allow the growth of beneficial trees and shrubs on their land. Another way to help farmer groups is by offering services that make agriculture more profitable while keeping it ecologically sustainable. Farmer groups are a smart and cost-effective way to share knowledge and services compared to approaching individual farmers. They provide a practical starting point for those looking to promote sustainable farming practices.