Abstract:

Small farms represent an important segment of agriculture, playing an essential role in food security, biodiversity maintenance and socio-economic development of rural areas. The application of agronomic and economic strategy that can improve the performance of small farms is analyzed, with a focus on diversified crop structures adapted to local conditions. The methodology was based on a narrative review with systematic elements, using scientific literature and institutional reports published mainly in the period 2016-2026. Studies on crop diversification, rotations, grain and feed legumes, cover crops, associated crops, agroforestry, local marketing and economic cooperation were analyzed. The results show that functional diversification and well-designed rotations can increase production stability, improve soil health, reduce economic risks and strengthen agronomic resilience. However, the economic effects are not uniform, as profitability depends on the size of the farm, available resources, access to water, labor, mechanization, markets and channels for organizing the capitalization of production. For small farms, the most realistic solution is gradual diversification, by combining a core of staple crops with legumes, higher value cash crops and, where possible, cover crops or associated crop systems. The paper concludes that diversified crop structures, adapted to local conditions, can improve the economic and agronomic performance of small farms when integrated with financial management, agricultural advisory services and accessible public policies.