They are often very productive by hectare, since they maximize the use of the soil, and achieve the best complementary use of plants and animals. But the form of agriculture that they practice, which relies less on external inputs and mechanization, is highly labor-intensive.
与之相反的是，小生产者的生产成本较高，但在类似一公顷这么大的范围内他们的生产力也是最高的，因为他们往往会充分利用土地的每一个角落来实现作物和家禽家畜的混种和饲养。而他们所使用的农业生产形式较少依赖外部的投入和机械化，而且属于高度劳动密集型。