Projects / Programmes
Development orientation of farms in Slovenia
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 4.03.08 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Plant production |
Economics of agro-food processing and rural development |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S187 |
Social sciences |
Agricultural economics |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
Agricultural activity carrier, agriculture influence factors,outlooks in agriculture, agricultural b
Researchers (9)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
The strategic objectives of the Slovenian agricultural policy put emphasis on the multifunctional role of agriculture and its implementation in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Family farms in Slovenia as well as elsewhere in the world are the basic units of agricultural activities and are still the predominant form of farming. Alongside assessed weak economic potential of family farms in Slovenia related to their poor tenure structure, mainly subsistence orientation and a low degree of production specialization, unfavourable age and educational structure and sustained reductions in their number, the question arises how the objectives of agricultural development in Slovenia will be realized at all. Potential of family farms for development alongside with the future of young farmers is one of the most exposed questions of recent EU agricultural policy debates. It stands that long-term loss of active farmers cannot be compensated by increasing productivity. In the frame of CAP reform is therefore essential to assess which policy would make farming more attractive and profitable. Traditionally, the European debate on the future of young farmers was focused on the establishment of the holding. But now it extends to the period after the handover and gives attention to the diversity of situations in which farmers operate throughout their entire career.
The objectives of the proposed project are set in accordance with the above starting points. The focus will be to determine the factors of intangible and tangible nature which (de) motivate farmers for farming in the period of deciding to take over the farm as well as in subsequent stages of life. Based on the identified factors the various developments’ paths of farmers will be explored and explained. By that, personal (family) life of farmers as well as their immediate work and living environment with social and economic infrastructure will be taken into account. Besides, how farmers think and evaluate their mission in the light of the increasing demands of technological progress and innovation in agriculture and their potential to cope with the demands of the global market for agricultural and food products will be studied. The ultimate goal will be to identify the factors and to develop indicators that will support agricultural policy makers.
In order to obtain the most comprehensive insight into all factors related to decisions by farmers for farming in various stages of life and their views on the prospects of farming, we follow the principle of triangulation. In pursuit of answers to research questions pertaining to farmers' assessment of prospects of modern agriculture, their understanding of progress in agriculture and their choice of development strategies, we will use different methods of data collection and analysis: online survey on a random sample of 600 farmers, half -structured interviews with 60 heads of farm holdings and their household members and three focus groups to evaluate the results of interviews and surveys. Data thus obtained will upgrade our baseline data analysis of some recently carried out research on the development potential of farms in Slovenia.
Based on collected and analysed data a typology of development profiles of farms in Slovenia will be constructed. Besides, tangible and intangible factors decisive for taking over an agricultural career will be identified as well as developmental orientation of farm holders. Understanding about the progress of farming and farmers' views on the prospects and possibilities of farming will be estimated in different target groups and the differences/similarities of their understanding explained. Finally, a basis for professional discussions on trends in agricultural policy in Slovenia and the EU will be made as well as guidelines of agricultural policy designed. The results will be presented in the form of public hearings, websites, and published in professional and scientific literature
Significance for science
From the scientific point of view is the most important the discovery, that we can based on selected indicators, group Slovenian farms according to their development strategies in four groups: "the farm between the subsistence and the market", "commercial farm", "subsistence farm" and "in control of the costs oriented farm".
Significance for the country
The most important of research finding is that the Slovenian farms differ significantly from each other in their development strategies and on the basis of the analysis four groups of farms can be derived, for which in the context of the agricultural policy the development a much more tailored measures can be created, taking into account their development specifics and preferences.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
