A study of the rise in popularity of radio in rural America in the 1920s and the portrayal of farmers in the press during this time. In the effort to promote the general value of radio, the press focused on how it was adopted by farmers. The media exaggerated the shortcomings of farm life, supporting the increasingly urban and modern way of life, and isolating and marginalizing rural dwellers.
10 Pages, As Thai farmers get older they need to plan what to do with their farm business and land given younger people tend to out-migrate to urban areas and shift their interests away from farming. Such demographic trends may reduce agricultural productivity and increase food insecurity, both among farmers and in the region. Using data collected through interviews with 368 farmers in the Prachin Buri province of Thailand, this research aims to examine how ageing is affecting farm activities of older farmers (60 years and older) and how they are adapting. We found that, while a small percentage of older farmers intended to continue farming without making any changes over the next five years (~9%), most were concerned about their health and farm work capacity, and were looking to leave farming and implement strategies to reduce both work intensity and time. Most farmers intended to stop farming and transfer farmland to their children (~40%), or continue farming while making some changes (~30%), such as employing additional workers or switching to less labour intense crops. Some intended to stop farming altogether and dispose of farmland outside their family (~21%; e.g. leasing out or selling or returning farmland to owner if leased). As expected, the chosen strategy depended on personal (old-age income security and gender) and farm characteristics (e.g. successor, farm activities, and subsidy). Having a dedicated successor had a substantial impact on transferring land to the children, reflecting the importance of commitment for farming by the next generation, which will be challenging. A pension higher than the widely available old-age allowance could support farmers in maintaining a better living standard after retiring. However, only a fraction of farmers currently had access to a pension. Both short- and long-term policies are, therefore, needed to support elderly farmers, improve their living standards after retirement, and attract young people back to farming.
Analysis of an online social microblog, Sina Weibo. Researchers found that "the poor and rich areas were more willing to behave immorally, and the relation between GDP and collective moral motivation was curved. Also, normal people were less ethical when prices increased than when incomes decreased. Ecological construction and the value added by industries which used more farmers and off-farm workers were both correlated with morality. We also found a dark side to science and technological innovation, which harmed collective morality when areas grew richer."
Via online access. 7 pages., Examines the elements of an "honest vision for the future with a shared language that accurately describes our world." Size of farm is not the key indicator, the author argues.
Poem highlighting the problematic focus, incentives and effectiveness of farming systems research by universities and experiment stations around the world.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D01200
Notes:
Pages 92-103 in Chris Reij and Ann Waters-Bayer (eds.), Farmer innovation in Africa: a source of inspiration for agricultural development. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London, England. 362 pages.
