Young People See Farming Work As A Dead End

[Mod]

Young People See Farming Work As A Dead End

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As crop prices fluctuate and incomes decline, the Asia-Pacific region faces the challenge of keeping the younger generation in the agriculture sector

Although the farming sector is essential in ensuring our food security and helping to keep the environment green, it's becoming less attractive to the younger generation. This is mainly due to the lower income that people can expect to earn from farming, in addition to the hardships of the job.

This challenge needs to be addressed if countries want to maintain their farming sectors and enjoy the independence of being able to provide food for their citizens. In addition, a strong agricultural sector is an effective way to help develop rural areas. The alternative is that rural people will continue to migrate to the cities if they see no future in farming their forebears' land. Governments, however, are doing little to promote the agricultural sector, because they tend to gauge economic success by high industrial growth rates and rapid urban development.

Farmers are not to be blamed for wanting to leave their land in increasing numbers. Many have been adversely affected by the ongoing fluctuations in commodity prices. Apart from the unpredictable forces of nature, human interference has unfortunately played a key part in destabilising commodity prices.

Much of the problem has been caused by the government's policies. Farm prices should have been liberalised so they reflect actual demand in the market. The prices of produce should naturally continue to rise in line with greater demand resulting from population growth. However, governments - Thailand's included - seemingly cannot resist interfering with natural price adjustments through market-distorting policies or quota-control systems, as is evident in the case of sugar. In addition, inconsistent and unpredictable subsidy policies have encouraged some farmers to shift to new commodities, only to find that they are contributing to an oversupply. We've seen this recently in the case of shallots.

Protective policies adopted by other countries also play a part in depressing crop prices. While many countries are moving toward industrial and service liberalisation, they tend to leave the process of agricultural liberalisation behind. This is almost always due to political reasons. Moreover, few farmers are aware of their right to protect unique crop strains. Investors and foreign producers have stolen intellectual-property rights arising from indigenous crop strains. This could be avoided if farmers were better aware of how to protect their rights.

Governments and responsible agencies should be working harder to help farmers prosper by providing both proper infrastructure and knowledge. Only this kind of investment can make farmers feel proud and want to continue working their land.

The majority of farmers in Asia are smallholders, and they need proper assistance so they can thrive on the small amounts of property they have. They should be able to add value to their produce through, for instance, organic farming. The government should cover the larger investments, such as irrigation systems.

If they cannot make the land work for them, small farmers will be tempted to sell their property to big investors, then migrate to cities to find menial jobs, the returns on which cannot provide them with a sustainable livelihood. This is not to mention the fact that, over time, rural migrants to the cities tend to lose their entrepreneurial spirit and are no longer able to take part in the development of their communities.

The farming sector has proved to be a welfare provider for many countries during difficult times. When demand in the US for imported goods declined as a result of the financial crisis in 2008, many Chinese workers were forced back to rural areas after they lost their factory jobs. During our own fiscal crisis in 1997, thousands of Thais were left unemployed when their factories fell on hard times, but they were able to survive that difficult period by going back to their villages to live with their families - who had remained in the agricultural sector.

The Nation 2012-06-05

[isanbirder]

Those of us who live in villages are seeing farmers leaving the land as soon as they can get the education to work elsewhere, or sell their land for a good price.  There is no money in farming rice or, as far as I can see, rubber.  Rice farmers only continue to do so because they are caught in a permanent debt cycle;  money from loan sharks to buy seed,   more to buy fertiliser, and all the crop goes to pay off the debt.  If the debt is not settled in full, the farmer is stuck... can't get out of a continual debt cycle.

[dundeemk6]

Isanbirder : I beg to differ ... since I "taught" my family to take better care of their ricepaddies - leveling the land, pulling out the treestumps, not burning the fields anymore, making better dams, managing the waterflow in a more effective way, go weeding the ricepaddies when the rice is growing - our yield has doubled ... with very little fertilizer ... anyway less than they used to buy ... it took me several years to implement my ideas ( what does a farang know about rice ?!? ) - but the results are worth while.

[isanbirder]

Well done, Dundeem.  Isan clearly needs more of you.

[Prakhonchai Nick]

Most of todays young people probably do not own land and the best they can do is live off the proceeds (if any) of their parents land. They probably do see farming as a dead end job, but most village lads out in my part of isaan are unqualified to do anything else. Some go off to Bangkok to work in factories or on building sites, but invariably return home after 3/4 weeks either having lost their jobs or through boredom.  Even at harvest time you will rarely see the youngsters lending a hand.

As for the girls...........once they have given birth to their 2nd or 3rd child by the age of 18/19, and been deserted by one or more of the fathers, most tend to wander off to either the bars of Bangkok or Pattaya. leaving the parents to  bring up their kids, with perhaps a few hundred baht wending their way once a month to help with costs.

As Isanbirder has said, the older folks are tied to their land and rice cultivation in the never ending debt . Most are loath to sell their land, not realising that it would provide for them over many years.

Croc can come to my area and educate the lads. I will take care of the girls! No help required CoCo!

[Tiocfaidh Ar La]

Most of todays young people probably do not own land and the best they can do is live off the proceeds (if any) of their parents land. They probably do see farming as a dead end job, but most village lads out in my part of isaan are unqualified to do anything else. Some go off to Bangkok to work in factories or on building sites, but invariably return home after 3/4 weeks either having lost their jobs or through boredom.  Even at harvest time you will rarely see the youngsters lending a hand.

As for the girls...........once they have given birth to their 2nd or 3rd child by the age of 18/19, and been deserted by one or more of the fathers, most tend to wander off to either the bars of Bangkok or Pattaya. leaving the parents to  bring up their kids, with perhaps a few hundred baht wending their way once a month to help with costs.

As Isanbirder has said, the older folks are tied to their land and rice cultivation in the never ending debt . Most are loath to sell their land, not realising that it would provide for them over many years.

Croc can come to my area and educate the lads. I will take care of the girls! No help required CoCo!

It's true many get themself in debt and along comes a gardian angel like myself and waves his magic wand,and all their debts vanish overnight,and my empire keeps on growing.
Don't you just love issan.

[Prakhonchai Nick]

St. Patrick speaks!

[Vombatus]

St. Patrick speaks!

St Patrick has an empire ! 

Has he found a way around the problems of Farang land ownership ?

[Vombatus]

Well done, Dundeem.  Isan clearly needs more of you.

IB, you have clearly never met Croc, let alone spent time drinking with him in Siem Reap !! 

[Tiocfaidh Ar La]

St. Patrick speaks!

St Patrick has an empire ! 

Has he found a way around the problems of Farang land ownership ?

No he has not.
But my wife says i have nothing to worry about,and as we all know women don't lie.
Do they?

[Vombatus]

St. Patrick speaks!

St Patrick has an empire ! 

Has he found a way around the problems of Farang land ownership ?

No he has not.
But my wife says i have nothing to worry about,and as we all know women don't lie.
Do they?

Now I understand - and feel a lot more secure about my own position! 

[dundeemk6]

CoCo : if you can work like a horse you are allowed to drink like a horse ...
It is not working like a jockey and drinking like a camel !!!!!
Anyway cheeeeeeers, I'm just having that Leo you kindly offered me   

[Vombatus]

CoCo : if you can work like a horse you are allowed to drink like a horse ...
It is not working like a jockey and drinking like a camel !!!!!
Anyway cheeeeeeers, I'm just having that Leo you kindly offered me   

Have a second one on me Croc  -  56 is a wonderful age