Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.2.5
Experiences of Young Farmers on Family-run Farms in Bjelovar-Bilogora and Požega-Slavonia County
Helena Pupak
orcid.org/0000-0003-4833-8468
; University of Zargreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Tijana Trako Poljak
orcid.org/0000-0002-0846-2889
; University of Zargreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Abstract
The aim of this article is to empirically examine the experience of living in rural areas and
working in agriculture among young farmers on family-run farms in two Croatian counties:
Bjelovar-Bilogora and Požega-Slavonia County. The theoretical part of the paper conceptualizes
the contemporary socio-economic context of the quality of life and work in agriculture in
Croatian rural areas, with a special emphasis on young people as key drivers of rural development.
By operationalizing selected objective and subjective aspects of the quality of life, a qualitative
research was conducted using the method of semi-structured interviews with ten young
farmers from family-run farms in these two counties. Bjelovar-Bilogora and Požega-Slavonia
are two agriculturally strong neighbouring counties in North Croatia, one with higher and one
with lower population density. The interviews encompassed questions about the advantages
and disadvantages as well as obstacles and challenges faced by young farmers who are living in
rural areas and working in agriculture, and their assessment of the satisfaction with rural life
and future perspectives.
The interviewees said the advantages of living in rural areas included personal ownership of
house and land, fresh air, natural surroundings, peace and quiet, healthy life, and freedom. The
disadvantages were mainly seen in poor infrastructure. The positive sides of being employed
in agriculture were “being your own boss”, “working from home”, job security, autonomy in
deciding upon your work hours, heterogeneity of different jobs within the occupation, possibility
of progress and development, and healthy working environment. The negative sides were
lack of popularity of this occupation, lack of time, dependency on external climate factors,
large quantity of workload, instability of prices, and uncertainty that comes with this kind of
agricultural production. The biggest obstacles for working in agriculture according to young
farmers on family-run farms were administrative obstacles, lack of sufficient areas of land, corruption,
and nepotism.
Keywords
rural areas; young farmers; Bjelovar-Bilogora County; Požega-Slavonia County; quality of life; life satisfaction
Hrčak ID:
265444
URI
Publication date:
12.11.2021.
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