The different use of time by women and men in households is the result of implicit and explicit negotiations between them that is called ‘bargaining’.
Examples of how peasant households become producers of surplus are discussed.
Peasant surplus production of some alongside deficit accumulation of many results in the emergence of distinct groups of peasants with different objectives and behaviours.
The distinctions between groups of peasants can be understood by focusing upon three areas of empirical investigation and analysis.
Is it possible to generalize about the distinctions between groups of peasants in the modern world?
Across three contemporary rural ‘worlds’ five livelihood strategies can be witnessed among contemporary peasants. Only one offers them a future in farming.
For almost 20 years the sustainable rural livelihoods approach was the basis by which action to improve the circumstances of peasants were undertaken.
The strengths and weaknesses of the sustainable rural livelihoods approach, and why it fell into disuse, are discussed.
Many peasant households are integrated into global agriculture through forms of contract farming.
The terms and conditions by which small-scale peasant farmers are able to use land are discussed.
