Abstract

Analyses of five agricultural systems in Honduras were used to develop a sustainability matrix. Rankings were based on qualitative data collected through interviews and observations in 2007 and 2008. A variety of constraints and advantages for each farming system were identified. Subsistence and small scale operators were often at a disadvantage because their production systems were highly entrenched and resistant to change. Industrial farms exhibited greater outputs but diminished ecological resilience. Operationally, a number of constraints were implicated, including inputs, outputs, ecological factors, and lack of access to capital for diversification. The matrix revealed variations in degree and substance, largely attributed to differences in the referenced parameters. However, correlations were also observed based on operational scale. In particular, the three small-scale systems (Sustainable Harvest hillside growers, Zamorano University, and the Valdez family farm) tended to exhibit a similar sustainability profile, whereas the two larger-scale systems (Dole pineapple and Tela oil palm plantation) were also comparable. Prevailing trends between and among the systems are further investigated and discussed. To optimize sustainable outcomes, both small and large scale operations should seek reconciliation between their respective systems.