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Desertification Indicator System for Mediterranean Europe


1. Definition

Name FAMILY SIZE
Brief definition Number of individuals belonging to a farm household
Unit of measure Number of people
Spatial scale  
Temporal scale  

2. Position within the logical framework DPSIR

Type of Indicator Driving Force

3. Target and political pertinence

Objective The indicator aims to explain the family farm behaviour with respect to the adoption of mitigation strategies to combat desertification.
Importance with respect to desertification Household size can be viewed in two ways. The larger the family size, the higher the probability that future generations will farm the land and reap the long-term benefits of any mitigation strategies adopted. Additionally, since most mitigation strategies are labour intensive, using family size as a proxy for available family labour, the indicator could be seen as a tool to measure the potential of the farm to adopt mitigation strategies.
International Conventions and agreements The CCD emphasized the importance of measures to improve the economic environment with a view to eradicating poverty, increasing income and employment opportunities, especially for the poorest members of the community.
Secondary objectives of the indicator The indicator highlights the contribution and importance of the agricultural sector in the development of the local community and its economy.

4. Methodological description and basic definitions

Definitions and basic concepts

Following the Eurostat Concepts and Definitions Database:

Holder [B/1]

The holder of the holding is that natural person or the legal person on whose account and in whose name the holding is operated and who is legally and economically responsible for the holding, i.e. who takes the economic risks of the holding. The holder can own the holding outright or rent it or be a hereditary long term leaseholder or a usufructuary or a trustee. The holder may have delegated all or part of the power of decision-making regarding the normal daily financial and production routines of running of the holding to a manager.

Holder's family members [B/2(a)]

The family members are the spouse, relatives in the ascending or descending line (including those by marriage and by adoption) and brothers and sisters of the holder or his/her spouse.The holders themselves are not included in the family members.

Benchmarks Indication of the values/ranges of value
  • I° range: < Local Mean -St. Dev.
  • II° range: >Local Mean - St. Dev. < Local Mean
  • III° range: > Local Mean < Local Mean + St. Dev.
  • IV° range: > Local Mean + St. Dev
Methods of measurement Number of family members per farm; Percentage of classes of family members above four.
Limits of the indicator It should be analysed in comparison with parallel employment to say which part of the family is effectively devoted to farm activities.
Linkages with other indicators Parallel employment, Net farm income.

5. Evaluation of data needs and availability

Data required to calculate the indicator Number of family members per farm.
Data sources The Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). At national level the responsibility for FADN data collection rests with the Liaison Agencies, often together with agricultural research institutes. These either employ their own staff to visit sample farms and to collect the data, or they contract this work out to accountants, universities, farmers' cooperatives or other organisations.
Availability of data from national and international sources ISTAT; FADN

6. Institutions that have participated in developing the indicator

Main institutions responsible University of Basilicata

Other contributing organizations  

7. Additional information

Bibliography OECD, 1999: Environmental indicators for agriculture, methods & results
Other references eurostat-methodology@cec.eu.int
Contacts Name and address Prof. Giovanni Quaranta
Dipartimento Tecnico-Economico per la Gestione del Territorio Agricolo-Forestale
Università della Basilicata
Via Macchia Romana
85100 Potenza
Italia
quaranta@unibas.it