It may be generally observed that smallholders or smallholdings have been subject to heightened attention, not just in academic circles, but also in general publics, worldwide. Decreases in social, cultural, and ecological diversity that have been witnessed in rural economies have led to increasing concerns on a global scale. One possible avenue that has been considered for maintaining the sustainability of agrarian society has been the deeper understanding and re-appreciation of the value of smallholdings, a trend that is also evident in Taiwan. Nonetheless, while global awareness of the urgent problems facing smallholders has increased, it is also important to take into account local contexts and diversity within the smallholder sector. Without local contextualization of the various situations faced by smallholders across different spaces and times, we may lose sight of the nuances necessary for understanding the specificity of issues facing smallholders in distinctive places. In practice, one size will never fit all when it comes to understanding smallholdings worldwide.

In Taiwan, the changes that smallholders have been experiencing differ according to the time period. These changes have also affected how smallholders perceive and position themselves in Taiwanese society. Society’s perceptions of smallholders in Taiwan have also shifted in dynamic ways, along with attendant changes in socioeconomic development. To better situate smallholders in Taiwan's context, the first imperative step would be to reconsider the “ hectares” definition of the smallholding, which is at present the standard recognized in many international documents and programmes.