Reply to Remans et al.: Strengthening markets is key to promote sustainable agricultural and food systems

Abstract

In their letter, Remans et al. (1) argue that our study (2) on the relationship between farm production diversity and household dietary diversity confirms earlier research but lacks discussion of scale and environmental aspects. Indeed, our findings are largely consistent with recent case studies from particular settings, but they challenge some widely held beliefs in the public and policy debate. Using data from various countries and diverse conditions, we were able to draw some broader conceptual and empirical lessons that go beyond case-study evidence.