Micro Agriculture Systems: Building a Resilient Food Future
By Amanda Philyaw Perez, Matt Bertucci, Evan Ware, Dan Spatz, Stephan Grace, Melissa Terry, Margie Raimondo, Kesha Cobb, Sandy DeCoursey
What is Micro Agriculture?
Micro Agriculture is an innovative approach to small-scale food and agriculture systems. It operates with limited land and resources, focusing on a dynamic systems model that includes growing, harvesting, processing, storing, bartering, and marketing agriculture products. This model draws on traditional, indigenous, modern, and innovative knowledge to create sustainable, community-centered production.
A Community-Centered, Ecological Approach
Practitioners of Micro Agriculture use an ecological model to develop their systems, starting with individual needs and extending to family, friends, neighbors, and the broader community. These systems supplement, rather than replace, industrial agriculture, typically beginning on a small scale and expanding as practitioners gain skills, resources, and technical abilities. Production includes crop cultivation, seed saving, composting, and food preservation for personal or local use, often leading to small business ventures in areas like mushrooms, flowers, poultry, and livestock.
The Role of Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency
Micro Agriculture emphasizes sustainable practices such as agroecology, permaculture, and organic methods combined with conventional techniques. Small-scale gardens—whether at home, in containers, or in community spaces—are key, supporting a variety of crops and often incorporating foodscaping, intercropping, rooftop gardening, or hydroponics. Over time, practitioners expand their expertise in food preservation, allowing their systems to yield substantial food outputs.
Supporting Knowledge and Local Outreach
Our team is working to blend research-based insights with the practical knowledge of Micro Agriculture practitioners. Funded by a USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership grant, our project aims to support Micro Agriculture through a needs assessment and outreach programs that foster local and regional food networks.
Meeting Community Needs Through Micro Agriculture
Micro Agriculture addresses various social challenges, such as:
- Food insecurity
- Limited access to grocery stores
- Barriers for startup farmers
- The chronic disease epidemic
- Rising food prices
- Limited food diversity in mainstream markets
Program Team and Partners
This work is led by Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez and a small team of UA systems faculty, staff, and community partners.
Our Extension program development team includes:
- Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez - Associate Professor, Food Systems and Food Safety
- Dr. Matt Bertucci - Assistant Professor, Sustainable Agriculture
- Evan Ware - Local Foods Program Associate
- David Hill - Value-Added Program Associate
- Sarah Bakker - Produce Safety and Infrastructure Program Associate
Other University of Arkansas System Partners:
- Dr. Stephan Grace, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Biology, Director of UALR Campus Garden
- Heather Friedrich, Program Manager, University of Arkansas, Center for Arkansas Farms and Food
- Randy Forst, Instructor - Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardeners, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, Horticulture
Micro Agriculture Partners:
- Kesha Cobb
- Margie Raimondo
- Melissa Terry
- Sandy DeCoursey
- Dan Spatz
Looking Ahead: Expanding Micro Agriculture in Arkansas
Our Extension Micro Ag page will provide updates on our progress, resources, and ways to get involved as we work to grow local food systems through Micro Agriculture.