This paper presents an analysis of data on the Baster farm system, surveyed in 1999/2000. Farm fragmentation is identified as the crucial problem of the system, because of its pernicious effect on the efficiency of farm production. The fragmentation process is seen as the combined effect of four factors: the value orientation of the farm owners, inheritance rules, fast population growth, and land scarcity. However, the survey data show at least a considerable slowdown in this process in recent years that can be attributed to a change in the value orientation of the farm owners. Keywords: Farming systems, Sustainable agriculture, Farm economics, Economic value, Agricultural situation, Production efficiency, Herds, Livestock farms.