Becoming a young farmer in the digital age— An island perspective

This study investigates the career construction paths of young farmers and aims to contribute to the literature on the “young farmer problem.” Of particular relevance is this study’s focus on the potential of islands as a new career landscape in the digital age. Young farmers’ subjective experiences toward careers were analyzed based on narrative interviews, quantitative surveys and expert interviews from two EU islands: Crete and the Azores. Firstly, the study provides insights on the behavioral and cognitive dimensions of the career construction model by identifying followed career paths. Secondly, we turn our focus to the role of digital communications in career construction and, thirdly, the study examines the geographical dimension of the model. We find that involvement with farming entails complex career patterns that evolve into passion. Whether their involvement follows planned or unplanned paths, protean career attitudes, desire to experiment, and a strong sense of career self-concept play significant roles in shaping the career narratives. “Experience” and “management” dimensions of online communication drive the construction of careers as a part of a professional identity mechanism. Our results reveal that the “island effect” (maintaining a part-time farming culture) plays a role in cohesive singular and multiple career self-concepts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Economic crisis and labour force transition to inactivity: a comparative study in German rural and urban areas

This study analyses the determinants of labour force transition to inactivity in the German labour market. Using German Labour Force Survey data the influence on the transition flow to inactivity of factors such as age, education, marital status, sex and registration with the public employment service are examined. We present estimates of degree of urbanisation-specific multinominal logit models to analyse the determinants of individuals’ transition probabilities in rural and urban areas. By comparing the influence of the factors that affect transition to inactivity before (2002-07) and during (2008-09) the global economic crisis, this paper contributes to the general understanding of transitional labour market flow dynamics during the crisis period. The findings suggest that during the crisis period education level and marital status have had different impacts in rural and urban regions on the transition to inactivity. While these two factors influenced the transition to inactivity before the crisis, their effect has been stronger during it. Additionally the results suggest that the interaction of individuals with institutional settings (e.g. registration with the public employment service) have to be taken into account when designing active labour market policy measures, especially during crisis periods. Knowledge about the influence of these factors on the transition to inactivity, and their different effects in rural and urban areas, provides important information for designing policies aiming to reduce the transition to inactivity during crisis periods

Innovation at Rural Enterprises: Results from a Survey of German Organic and Conventional Farmers

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of interpersonal networks and other information sources on the innovativeness of farmers. This understanding can be useful for organizations that are involved in extension work that aims to increase the farmers’ innovativeness and for farmers who aim to be more innovative. The study focuses on two types of farmers’ network ties: friendship ties (ties to other farmers) and affiliation ties (ties to associations). Additionally, the importance of information gathered by farmers from interpersonal sources and from media is compared. We collected data within the European Union (EU)-funded Food Industry Dynamics and Methodological Advances (FOODIMA) Project using face-to-face interviews. Our sample, which consists of 72 farmers (organic and conventional) in Germany, was used to map farmers’ innovativeness (number of innovations adopted). We analyzed the data to determine if the structure and strength of network ties can be used as predictors of innovativeness for organic and conventional farmers. When considering both the friendship and affiliation ties, the main results show that organic farmers who communicate more frequently with other farmers are more likely to be highly innovative. The large network size indicates low innovativeness on the part of organic farmers. Membership in at least one association is positively interconnected with high innovativeness of conventional farmers. Regarding information sources, the results indicate that the highly innovative farmers appreciate information from research institutes more and information from agricultural organization less than the less innovative farmers

Innovation at Rural Enterprises: Results from a Survey of German Organic and Conventional Farmers

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of interpersonal networks and other information sources on the innovativeness of farmers. This understanding can be useful for organizations that are involved in extension work that aims to increase the farmers’ innovativeness and for farmers who aim to be more innovative. The study focuses on two types of farmers’ network ties: friendship ties (ties to other farmers) and affiliation ties (ties to associations). Additionally, the importance of information gathered by farmers from interpersonal sources and from media is compared. We collected data within the European Union (EU)-funded Food Industry Dynamics and Methodological Advances (FOODIMA) Project using face-to-face interviews. Our sample, which consists of 72 farmers (organic and conventional) in Germany, was used to map farmers’ innovativeness (number of innovations adopted). We analyzed the data to determine if the structure and strength of network ties can be used as predictors of innovativeness for organic and conventional farmers. When considering both the friendship and affiliation ties, the main results show that organic farmers who communicate more frequently with other farmers are more likely to be highly innovative. The large network size indicates low innovativeness on the part of organic farmers. Membership in at least one association is positively interconnected with high innovativeness of conventional farmers. Regarding information sources, the results indicate that the highly innovative farmers appreciate information from research institutes more and information from agricultural organization less than the less innovative farmers

Challenges associated with formal education in rural areas, Policy brief Rural NEET Youth Network

The youth demographic in rural areas continues to experience a global decline despite significant efforts from both national and international organisations to downturn this ne gative trend. Such efforts aim to create conditions for learning as well as opportunities that can enable young people to develop knowledge, skills, and competencies. Despite the economic recovery trends of recent years (before the COVID-19 pandemic), young people continue to be particularly vulnerable and especially during times of crisis. Youth disengagement from the labour market can lead to economic loss, demotivation, margina lisation, and be reflected in challenges such as a lack of qualifications, health issues, poverty, and other forms of social exclusion. To address such challenges, it is vital that a detailed understan ding of youth needs is developed. This work should be based on heterogeneous characteristics (personal vs institutional) that include (although not limited to) socio-economic, demographic, financial, technical, and institutional perspectives. This information should subsequently inform both future policy-making and decision-making processes

Job access after leaving education: A comparative analysis of young women and men in rural Germany

Rural labour markets for youth are an interesting research area for labour force transition studies because gender differences begin to appear with the out-migration that leads to a shortage of young women in Europe. Whilst existing studies provide insight into this migration flow, little is known about the young women and men who remain in the labour force in rural areas. The aim of this study is to provide insight into the determinants of job access after leaving education in Germany among the young population aged 15–29 based on the Labour Force Survey of 2002–2009. First, an empirical analysis of student to employment flow in rural areas with respect to social position (degree discipline, age, and socio-professional category) has been conducted. Second, gender-specific multinomial logit models are used to estimate the determinants of access to a first job without a long-term unemployment spell. The results suggest that there are substantive differences in student to employment flow between female and male samples for the variables urbanisation degree of residence (rural, urban, and peri-urbain) and marital status. Contrary to our expectations, living in rural areas does not suggest a significant negative effect in accessing a job within a year. In line with previous studies, being married has a negative influence on female graduates but is positive for their male counterparts

Structural change in rural Europe - land-use and labour behaviour

Diese Studie befasst sich mit den Herausforderungen des Strukturwandels im ländlichen Raum Europas mit zwei Hauptteilen. Der erste Teil dieser Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit den Auswirkungen der Faktoren, die das Teilnahmeverhalten der Landwirte an den Agrar-Umweltmaßnahmen (AEMs) beeinflussen. Der zweite Teil dieser Arbeit behandelt Faktoren, die den Wandel im Erwerbsverhalten beeinflussen. Wir führen unabhängig voneinander eine Untersuchung in Slowenien und Deutschland. Durch die Erörterung besonderer Herausforderungen behandeln die beiden Teile dieser Arbeit ferner, die Verwendung von diskreten Wahlverfahren und Verhaltensmodellen im Bereich der ländlichen Wirtschaft. Der Schwerpunkt wurde auf konkrete politische Probleme im ländlichen Raum gelegt und wir möchten die politischen Programme unterstützen, die die Realisierung der AEMs und der aktiven Arbeitsmarktpolitik behandeln.This study addresses challenges related to structural change in rural Europe and consists of two main parts. The first part addresses the impact of factors influencing farmers' participation behaviour in agri-environmental measures (AEMs). The second part of this thesis investigates factors influencing labour force behaviour. We have conducted analyses in Slovenia and Germany. Both parts of this thesis investigate behaviour models, using discrete choice methods in the field of rural economics. The emphasis was put on concrete rural policy problems, and with these studies, we aim to contribute to the policy programs that address the implementation of AEMs and active labour market policies.vorgelegt von İlkay Unay-Gailhar

Becoming a young farmer in the digital age: An island perspective

This study investigates the career construction paths of young farmers and aims to contribute to the literature on the "young farmer problem." Of particular relevance is this study's focus on the potential of islands as a new career landscape in the digital age. Young farmers' subjective experiences toward careers were analyzed based on narrative interviews, quantitative surveys and expert interviews from two EU islands: Crete and the Azores. Firstly, the study provides insights on the behavioral and cognitive dimensions of the career construction model by identifying followed career paths. Secondly, we turn our focus to the role of digital communications in career construction and, thirdly, the study examines the geographical dimension of the model. We find that involvement with farming entails complex career patterns that evolve into passion. Whether their involvement follows planned or unplanned paths, protean career attitudes, desire to experiment, and a strong sense of career self-concept play significant roles in shaping the career narratives. "Experience" and "management" dimensions of online communication drive the construction of careers as a part of a professional identity mechanism. Our results reveal that the "island effect" (maintaining a part-time farming culture) plays a role in cohesive singular and multiple career self-concepts

Farm size and participation in agri-environmental measures: Farm-level evidence from Slovenia

This paper analyses the determinants of farmer participation in agri-environmental measures (AEMs) using the Slovenian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) during the 2004–2010 period. Previous papers have not shown a straightforward relationship between farm size and decisions to participate in AEM. Considering explicitly the farm size, the controversial subject of the role of farm size is investigated by conducting logit regression analyses. We examine the influence of farm-specific characteristics on participation in AEMs using three different farm sizes: small, medium, and large. The findings strongly suggest that there are differences between the determinant factors of AEM participation based on farms’ utilised agricultural area, particularly between small and large farms. This conclusion is supported by those variables that describe farm capital per land intensity, off-farm income and type of farming as significant determinants for large farm models but not for small farm models. Furthermore, variables that describe land productivity negatively influence participation in AEMs for large farms, whereas these variables positively influence the participation of small farms. The results highlight the importance of how these previously confirmed factors influencing AEM participation differ according to the three different farm sizes

Young farmers in “The New World of Work”: The contribution of new media to the work engagement and professional identities

This study aims to explore the contribution of “The New World of Work” to farming, a career often viewed as unattractive among youth, and, as highlighted by the “young farmer problem” in the literature. This paper draws upon research on the role of “new ways of working” in work engagement and farmer identity among young farmers. A mixed-method approach is used based on data from two Mediterranean Islands, Crete and Cyprus. Based on the polymedia- new theory of digital media, the study focuses both on new media use and new media engagement for work-related tasks. Our findings highlight that the “The New World of Work” is an important phenomenon for initiating positive change toward cohesive social-self in a career (subjective perception of a farming career concerning others). However, we identified binary terms used by farmers when explaining conflicts between cohesive self-concept (expression of a strong sense of self regarding their farming career) and social-self in a career. The study concludes that the duality between career self-concepts and social-self still holds patterns even among young generation farmers, regardless of their integration level to new media