The role of short and local food supply chains in the overall performance of farms

This article offers an analysis of the role played by short and local food supply chains in the overall performance of farms, based on a study conducted on forty-eight farms in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It shows how producers’ engagement in such distribution chains contributes to the overall performance of farms selling their products locally and directly to consumers. Its approach consists in considering the point of view of producers and objectifying the elements highlighted in the literature through the discourse of farmers. The results show that the characteristics of relational and geographical proximity of short and local food supply chains impact farm performance for at least two of the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic and socio-territorial). They thus ensure good economic viability for farms and well-being at work for farmers, and they operate in interdependence with the dynamics of their territories.