Abstract
AbstractOne of the fundamental problems at the source of youthful reluctance to join the agricultural sector is the issue of identity. Unrealistic and negative views toward agriculture, increasing levels of education, and the existence stimulating opportunities in non-agricultural sectors have resulted in a situation that makes youths question previous assumptions about succession farming. This article discusses the identity gaps experienced by six young Indonesian farmers in developing and maintaining coherent identities within the framework of the communication theory of identity. This theoretical framework is used to explore the identity gaps among the identity layers of these young farmers in the situations they face and to understand the way they seek validation for their identity through self-verification. With the explanation approach, this article focuses on a discussion of how young farmers overcome the tensions they experience arising out of conflicts between expectations and reality. These conflicts show that there are identity gaps that must be negotiated by the youths while building their self-identity as farmers.
Highlights
The reluctance of young generations to work in the agricultural sector is a significant problem in terms of maintaining an adequate agricultural workforce
This study found two different departure points among the young farmers’ journeys: the stories of ZR and Agung Harmanto (AH) began with village youths not interested in agriculture but had to take over their parents’ farms, and the stories of Dedy Tri Kusumo (DTK), Agus Wibowo (AW), Eka Mandiri (EM), and Joko Santoso (JS), where village youths who dreamt of developing agriculture in their villages and farming success, faced opposition from those around them and problems created by the unrealistic scale they needed to achieve their farming dreams
By examining their identity-building journeys through the four layers of identity and conducting simultaneous examination of those layers, this study found two major conflicts experienced by the young farmers: First, there was a clash between expectations and reality, reflecting a gap between personal identity and enacted identity; the second clash was between personal views and the authority of significant others, denoting a gap between personal identity and relational identity
Summary
The reluctance of young generations to work in the agricultural sector is a significant problem in terms of maintaining an adequate agricultural workforce. Stereotypical views of farmers and the farming profession are often fundamental to the problems of assuring agricultural regeneration and succession (Burton 2004, Brandth and Overrein 2013, Fischer and Burton 2014). Several studies have examined factors that contribute to the farmer regeneration crises. Some of these factors include a poor view of the farmer profession where farming is seen as synonymous with poverty, a lack of prestige, and no chance of future success (Ibitoye 2011; Paisley 2014; Supriyati 2016; Anwarudin et al 2018). Young people prefer employment options with high mobility and more promising prospects (Daulay 2006). White et al (1991) found that urban youths reject careers in agriculture; these youths are disinterested in jobs that require them to work outdoors and see such jobs as suitable only for those with agricultural backgrounds
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