ID80: Working conditions and attractiveness of agricultural jobs, what future for youth in mountain areas?

Abstract ID 886 | Date: 2022-09-13 13:39 – 13:48 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Morgan-Davies, Claire (1); Boman, Inger Anne (2); Creighton, Philip (3); Mclaren, Ann (1)

The extensive nature and relatively low output from mountain sheep farms often mean that inputs, and in particular labour, are often kept relatively low to maintain profitability. Labour inputs on sheep farms are also highly seasonal and can vary depending on the systems. Labour management also plays a key role in profitability in mountain sheep systems, hence displaying the need to optimise labour use wherever possible. Moreover, seasonal farming labour is becoming increasingly scarce in remote and mountain areas, with the younger generations tending to leave for the more attractive urban areas. In some mountain areas, lands and available grazing fields can also be scattered or difficult to reach (e.g., estives), adding another layer of difficulties for sheep farmers. However, despite its central role on farms, farm labour is rarely measured or quantified at task and/or period level. This is especially the case at lambing time, where the labour inputs can be the highest for the year. Without a quantification at task level, labour rationalisation or optimisation at lambing time become challenging.

This study addresses the issue of labour at lambing time on sheep farms in a mountain environment, by quantifying specific tasks carried out during that period, to identify which tasks are the most labour-intensive, repetitive, or requiring specific skills, and improve on-farm labour organisation and management.

Nine meat sheep flock in Northern Europe were considered (3 in Scotland, 3 in England, 2 in western Ireland and 1 in Norway). Each farmer was equipped with a GoPro (HERO3) on sample days, to record their daily tasks around lambing. In addition, questionnaires were carried out to obtain a better understanding of their farm workforce and labour key points. Tasks were quantified from the video footage using an adapted task list from previous research.

Results showed that whilst all farms in the study had different settings and management, they all carried out similar tasks at lambing. However, the order and organisation of getting the tasks done varied.

This study was an opportunity for farmers to identify good examples of how to rationalise some tasks (e.g., mobile pens; recording), and ways to reduce non-animal tasks (e.g. driving, opening gates). Quantifying and visualising lambing tasks via videos proved useful and could help inform on best practice and advice for farmers by farmers.

Abstract ID 926 | Date: 2022-09-13 13:48 – 13:57 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Fagot, Blandine (1); Didier, Gomès (2); Nathalie, Bletterie (3)

The shepherding activity involves a large amount of local knowledge that is acquired by accurate observations, experience and thinking, which are often performed instinctively, without a clear awareness of the process. As a consequence, transmission of pastoral knowledge is difficult. The new generations include many shepherds without an agricultural background, who ask for technical advice from experienced breeders, in order to develop the required local pastoral knowledge.

The objective of the Past’Oral Transmission project was to produce training materials to encourage the dissemination of local pastoral knowledge and contribute to meet the challenges of generational renewal and attractiveness for the shepherding activity. We chose to work with video records, in order to associate visual observations and audio explanations, which makes the description of the local pastoral knowledge more lively (Boubée, 2010). We investigated aspects related to the management of grazing, lambing and renewal of pastoral resources. For each topic, several videos were made with different shepherds to cover a diversity of contexts and practices. The self-confrontation method was applied: at first, shepherds were filmed during their working activity; then, encouraged by a facilitator, the shepherds watched and commented the film in order to share the analysis that lead to their management decision/action. This self-confrontation interview was also filmed. In the end, 3-5 min video capsules associating both types of shots were created.

These videos have already been used in existing courses on pastoralism, but also in groups of farmers, as a tool to stimulate discussions and give substance to peer education. For example, the video of a shepherd guarding a flock of ewes in a closed environment highlighted the difficulty of the situation and the importance of observation, voice contact, presence of a dog and position of the shepherd relatively to the flock. The associated explanatory interview helped to shed light on the senses used to locate the animals and the reasoning that preceded decision. When viewed by a group of farmers, this video induced many comments, which included: further elaboration of the explanation given by the shepherd, report of similar situations experienced by the participants, initiation of various debates.

These video capsules produced in the Past’Oral Transmission project, enhanced by the presence of a facilitator, are an interesting material to support the education of shepherds, but also to stimulate peer exchanges and put into perspective the apparently simple shepherding activity, they induce a debate and possibly trigger management innovations.

Abstract ID 923 | Date: 2022-09-13 13:57 – 14:06 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Opplert, Marie (1,2); Sayago, Doris (1); Tourrand, Jean-François (2)

Between 1970 and 2010, the population of young people in rural areas in Brazil declined by almost 30% (FOGUESATTO & MACHADO, 2015; IBGE, 2017), leading to problems such as labour shortages and celibacy among young men (GODOY et al., 2010; WAQUIL et al., 2016). Young rural farmers are the main actors in this rural exodus (FOGUESATTO et al., 2016; IBGE, 2017). The loss of young population in Brazil was more intense in Rio Grande do Sul, followed by other states in the Southern region (FOGUESATTO & MACHADO, 2015; IPEA, 2010). How to explain this phenomenon?

We chose to study the communities of the uplands of Serra Gaucha, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Today, only 11% of the population of Serra Gaucha resides in rural areas, but agriculture represents 6.5% of the gross added value of the region (DE AVELINE BERTÊ et al., 2016). The Serra Gaucha population is aging above the state average (DE AVELINE BERTÊ et al., 2016). We interviewed 55 young people from the region with an online questionnaire about their motivations for remaining in the countryside.

Some producers interviewed highlighted the scarcity of labor, and their low qualification. However, 76% of the young people interviewed prefer to live in the countryside, and 81% of the producers’ children want to work in family farming, within which 84% want to take over the family farm. 83% of the producers’ children interviewed have already proposed changes on the farm. In one third of the cases, these changes have not been implemented by the family.

When asked about what could be improved in the rural area, the recurring answers evoke the need to implement public policies such as investments or government incentives to sustain family farming. The second issue pointed out is the state of roads, access and transport in the countryside. Others deplore being dependent on inputs and observe land concentration. This result agrees with the pressures on family farming identified in the literature (TOURRAND et al., 2015, SARAVIA, 2016).

The results show that young people leave the countryside to study and work, but that most of them wish to continue on the family farm. They deplore the lack of public policies aimed at young people and the lack of support for young farmers. However, a willingness to change the production system and the organization of work on the farm can be observed.

Abstract ID 189 | Date: 2022-09-13 14:06 – 14:15 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Rawat, Namrata

Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) stretches across 13 states and union territories of India and occupies about 20% of the country’s geographical area. These states are some of the most developmentally disadvantaged ones in the country. Uttarakhand is a north Indian Himalayan state created in 2000 with the promise of development specifically keeping in mind the difficult and disconnected lives of people in Himalayan mountains. 20 years on little has changed. Rural, local economies failed to develop and most families in rural villages are dependent on young family members migrating to plains for even survival. This research is based on 1-year field work in Almora district of Uttarakhand comprised of a survey of 670 students in 21 senior secondary school youth, teachers, families, civil society members, NGO workers and state administration stakeholders on youth aspirations, livelihood, migration and development politics. Combining the findings from multiple sources, this research study takes a close look at the lives, aspirations of mountain youth and their challenges in the region where outmigration is the norm. It examines the drivers of rapid outmigration among young people and the impact of such migration on the youth who are still in the mountains. It also highlights some of the potential solutions that youth envision for the sustainable development of their villages and society.

Abstract ID 634 | Date: 2022-09-13 14:15 – 14:24 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Sreechun, Kesaraporn; Thamsuwan, Natthawan; Yusuk, Pedcharada

Mountainous regions in Thailand covers 53% of total areas of 20 provinces mostly located in the North and Southwest. Located in marginalized and remoted areas, a million of a mountain people have lived in harsh conditions and extreme poverty. Since 2005, Highland Research and Development Institute (HRDI) a public funded organization has delivered holistic livelihood development programs that includes decent jobs creation and income generation, fostering mountain ecosystem where is the water tower of the nation and self-help groups empowerment.

As agriculture is predominant in mountain, the first HRDI entry of economic development is agricultural extension with high productivity of alternative crops and live stocks and compliment with local crafts and artisan. The extension program is based on an area-approach delivered through the HRDI field officers and backed up by in house development-oriented research team. As a results, 160,000 farmers have learned and adopted hand on farming practices that generates food and income for their household of which one third is running farm enterprise and cooperatives of both annual and perennial crops that take advantages of climatic condition in mountain.

Despite favourable development results in the first decade, it is notably obvious that most beneficiaries’ farmers are 40-50 years old whereas there is less than 10% of young people in the circle. As the initial phase of development programs had mainly targeted mid-career farmers, this may unintentionally neglect young people. But the most challenge is current and future situation of Thailand that is becoming aging society in 2022. The matters of youth future in mountain in not only decreasing number of young people but also increasing dependency ratio of house hold members with today youth. Relevant policy recommendations to attract young people mountain to live in mountain with decent jobs and self-esteem in harmony with mountain nature needs to be taken with urgency.

Abstract ID 294 | Date: 2022-09-13 14:24 – 14:33 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Akhalaia, Nana; Khozrevanidze, Noe

The National Sustainable Development Goals Document sets out the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals priorities at the national level, which aim to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and introduce evidence-based national policy in line with the 2030 Agenda. The policy implemented in the mountainous regions is part of the regional development policy of the country and is aimed at ensuring equal social and economic development throughout Georgia.

Education issues related to sustainable mountain development, the purpose is to determine the agenda for future transdisciplinary research, which aims to increase sustainability through education in the mountains.

Georgia needs large investments in the development of human capital in all directions. In this regard, specific needs have been identified by both the government of Georgia and the EU-georgia partnership. The key to creating a more sustainable and peaceful world is learning. change towards sustainability depends on a change of thinking. The challenges of sustainable development are often complex and multifaceted. Consequently, challenges to sustainable mountain development can be addressed through transdisciplinary research involving collaboration across academic boundaries. It goes beyond interdisciplinary cooperation to integrate scientific and empirical knowledge fully into the research process, which should begin with the identification of sustainable development problems in the mountains.