Many scholars have pondered whether smaller farms are better in terms of environmental, economic, and social outcomes. In our paper, we synthesize data from studies that have been conducted on this question over the last 50 years. We show that smaller farms have higher yields and biodiversity.

Palm oil, the most important source of vegetable oil in the world, is derived from the fruit of palm trees grown in the tropics. Fruits are harvested manually, then transported to a mill for processing, and ultimately exported and made into an array of products from food to toiletries to biodiesel.