Abstract
Farmers face many challenges, including climate variability, that require continual adaptation. However, studies of farm adaptation have paid limited attention to the farm workforce, despite changes in farm workforce organisation (i.e. the number, type and forms of employment on farm) being a significant feature of agricultural change globally. To effectively support farmers’ adaptation, it is important to understand farmers’ workforce strategies (i.e. how farm workforce organisation supports the needs and priorities of the farm), how workforce choices are made and the implications for adaptation. This paper progresses a framework for analysing farm adaptability, including the farm workforce. Bringing together theories of livelihoods analysis and strategic human resource management, the farm workforce strategies of 16 case study farms in the Australian cotton production sector are analysed. Cotton production is exposed to major resource constraints, such as irrigation water. We interviewed farmers and collected data on farm business performance, workforce organisation choices, human resource management practices and employees’ experiences of work. We integrated data to characterise farm workforce decision-making and the relationship between workforce strategies and farm adaptability for each farm. A cross-case analysis explored differences between farms. A diversity of workforce strategies was found, involving combinations of workforce options, defined as ‘core’, ‘contract’ and ‘casual’ workers at different levels of skills and experience. Farm workforce strategies were found to influence and be influenced by sources of financial capital, irrigation water availability/holdings, farm remoteness, new farm infrastructure and human resource management practices. The farm workforce was a response option to provide production flexibility, yet high adaptability was associated with some negative consequences for managers and employees. We show for the first time the influence of farm workforce organisation dynamics in adaptation and negative consequences of high farm adaptability. ‘Factoring-in’ the farm workforce in sustainable development studies should therefore be a priority.
Highlights
As with many nations, a key challenge for Australian agricultural producers is to continually innovate and adapt in the context of a global economy, technological advances and a more variable climate (Marshall et al 2014)
The cotton production sector in Australia can be broadly classified as a conventional farming system within a commodity socioeconomic framework (Therond et al 2017)
All farms held a small permanent workforce of one to three people, including the farm owner/manager and people in management roles or senior/experienced ‘overseer’ roles. This workforce was described by case study farms as ‘core’ to what the farm owner or manager was trying to achieve
Summary
A key challenge for Australian agricultural producers is to continually innovate and adapt in the context of a global economy, technological advances and a more variable climate (Marshall et al 2014). This has increased interest among agricultural systems and sustainability scientists in the ways farming systems are changing, farmers’ adaptability and the analysis of production and management options that support adaptability (Darnhofer et al 2010). Studies of farmer adaptability often focus on the farm owner/decisionmaker and the production systems and sub-systems changes they implement. The social organisation or reorganisation of farming systems has not featured strongly in these studies
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