If farming becomes surviving! Ton Duffhues Specialist Agriculture and society ZLTO Director Atelier Waarden van het Land 4 juni 2014, Wageningen

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1 If farming becomes surviving! Ton Duffhues Specialist Agriculture and society ZLTO Director Atelier Waarden van het Land 4 juni 2014, Wageningen

2 About myself Study - Cultural and social Anthropology, specialised in sociocultural development of West European countryside, agrarian economics, social movements / collective action Work - University - Farmers Organisation ZLTO Specialist Agriculture and society: social profile of ZLTO, social cultural aspects of farming, history, cooperative movements - Atelier Waarden van het Land

3 ZLTO Southern Agricultural and horticultural Organisation Started in 19th century as a movement for social and economic emancipation of small farmers Founder of cooperatives (Rabobank, Achmea, Agrifirm), schools

4 8.400 farms members 64 local branches 125 employees ZLTO territory

5 3 organisations LTO Noord ZLTO LLTB

6 ZLTO mission ZLTO supports its members in realising a sustainable position in both market and society.

7 My story Facts and figures Succession by young farmers If farming becomes surviving: economic aspects If farming becomes surviving: social psychological aspects Myths and sentiments Coping strategies Meaning of farming and identity of farmers / family-farms

8 Facts and figures Dutch Agriculture Number of farms (x 1000) Land in cultivation (1000 ha) Labour volume (1000 aje) Labour volume / farm (aje) : prognoses

9 Number of farms,

10 Economic size of farms,

11 Spread of very small (hobby) farms, 2012

12 Why less farms? Age No successor Labor saving and capital intensive technology Laws and rules on animal welfare, environmental issues, development Prices, access to markets, income Mostly a voluntary decision: by the changing of generations a moderate or bad perspective on income and development.

13 About young farmers and their ambitions and possibilities

14 About young farmers and their ambitions and possibilities A rising rate of succession: 29% in % in 2013 A higher education of the successors A higher rate for big farms: better expectations: yields, income, innovation, sustainability, investments, market. The important issues: - the financial structure of the farm - the farm-organisation - appreciation and status - balance social life work and family farm - relation / communication with parents

15 If farming becomes surviving: economic and social aspects Storytelling "Met ons bedrijf gaat het goed, maar tussen mijn man en mezelf zijn er steeds meer moeilijkheden. We hebben zo'n verschillend beeld over de toekomst. Ik wil meer tijd voor ons gezin en voor ontspanning, maar voor hem komt het bedrijf steeds eerst. Ik voel me onbegrepen en gevangen. Hoe moet het verder met ons?" Anja, 36 jaar "Ik denk eraan het bedrijf stop te zetten. Ik doe het niet meer graag en de onzekerheid over de toekomst speelt me parten. Deze zomer werkte ik enkele weken in een tuinbouwcentrum. Ik leefde helemaal op. Maar ik weet niet hoe ik aan de stopzetting moet beginnen? En is dit eigenlijk wel mogelijk met de lening die ik nog heb lopen? Ik weet dat ik een knoop moet doorhakken, want mijn humeurigheid weegt op m'n gezin." Erwin, 35 jaar

16 If farming becomes surviving: Economic aspects Low income / bad prices / high costs (inputs, labour, equipment) Loans and mortgages Need for high investments to meet societal demands on sustainability and environment Quality of entrepreneurship / knowledge Laws, rules, bureaucracy Societal demands on environment and sustainability Perspectives on future existence or development

17 If farming becomes surviving: social-psychological aspects Paralysed by uncertainty: not capable of making the right decisions or making realistic analysis Isolation and loneliness Stress, burn-out or other mental problems Severe losses: family-members Animal-diseases, weather damages and other calamities, Physical problems and diseases Relational problems (man wife; father son, neighbours) Disbalance work social life A low social vitality and social resilience Low self-esteem and negative self-image Victimisation and a sense of shame The tradition of being silent about the problems: we do nt hang the dirty clothes outside.

18 Social work by ZLTO for individual members Social work for individual members and their families Two social workers: free service In 2012 and 2013: 180 cases Ranking of the problems 1. Psychological problems 2. Unable to make choices 3. Relational problems 4. Coping with losses 5. Diseases and handicaps 6. Financial problems 7. Ending of the farm 8. Neglection of animals 9. Calamities

19 For a lot of elderly farmers: how can I stop farming?

20 Social work by ZLTO for groups Holiday-week for physical disabled members Day for widows and widowers Day for farmers who live and work alone Program The social aspects of working together on the farm, for parents, the young successor and his or her spouse. A new start: a program for farmers that have ended their farm: focus on social emotional questions and dicovering their talents for other jobs Time for Future. A program for members of 50 years and older: what are their future plans with the farm and what does this mean socially, financially, economically etc. Round tables on social and financial problems, together with representatives of banks, accountants, feed and seedcompanies etc.

21 A holiday for the disabled

22 Myths and sentiments - Dramatization: suicide - Victimization: modernization, globalization - Romanticism - A sentimental economy: a mixture of individualism, morality and sentiment. - The mode of production is connected with social formation. Or: the family farm is the reinterpretation or social reconstruction of market dependencies, transactions, technology etc. - Surviving by adaptation - John Berger: the culture of surviving is looking at the future as a succession of repeating acts necessary to survive.

23 Reputation and public image: what does it mean for the individual farmer / family farm?

24 Worldproblems and their responsability kritische (vlees)consument

25 Coping strategies In general New concepts of the function and values of agriculture and family farms Human values of agriculture in the first place, for producers and consumers Strategies for adaptation and innovation (in the sixties and seventies the farms disappeared from the villages, nowadays the citizens wants agriculture back in their towns and neighbourhoods).

26 Modern farming Healthy life Smart farming Connecting technics and design Social Farming In cooperation and connection with society and environment

27 The new mixed farm

28 Healthy farming in the community More attention for: - social capital of farmers - social and economic vitality - social and economic resilience - ability to co-operate - health of both farmer and citizen - new balance in value-orientations - awareness of their embeddedness in different worlds (local / regional / (inter)national) - value based agriculture and farmstrategies - alternatives

29 Human Values Human values of agriculture as central issue! - Why do I want to be a farmer? - How do I want to be a farmer? - How do I want to be remembered by my grandchildren? Contribution of farming and food to the welfare of society, the quality of life and the health of people, animals and nature! Sustainability is a matter of personal and organizational beliefs and values! Value-based decisions and practices!

30 Come out of the shadow and connect, talk, cooperate. Ending the farm can be the best strategy!

31 Thank You

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