Part-Time Farming in Wales: A Typological Study

Abstract

This study seeks to identify types of part-time farming systems within Wales. Based on a sample of 211 agricultural holdings and a mixed-mode set of five variables, the investigation structures a Q-matrix of transformed general coefficients of similarity and subjects it to cluster analysis and the method of principal coordinates. Six types of part-time farming are isolated. The motives that underpin the decision to farm on a part-time basis are also considered. Analysts of the agrarian environment have, over the years, drawn attention to the distinctiveness and complexity of part-time farming as a socio-economic system. Numerous studies have shown that farms managed on a part-time basis can vary quite significantly both in their structure and functional organization (Layton, 1978; Mage, 1976), and that part-time farmers themselves can differ in their occupational attitudes, motivations and aspirations (Gasson, 1967b and 1977). It is now clear that part-time farming need not necessarily constitute a short-term career objective-a stepping stone, as it were, into full-time agriculture or out of farming altogether. For many farmers it represents a meaningful adaptation to prevailing employment opportunities, and as such is a positive career commitment. For others, however, part-time farming is an avocation-a hobby, a form of recreation or an exercise in 'rural retreating' (Troughton, 1975; Gasson, 1966; McQuin, 1978). Given this diversity, it is perhaps not surprising that a major focus of research interest has been related to the issue of identifying types or classes within the part-time farming sector. The intention of this paper is to contribute to this line of inquiry, and in particular to effect a multivariate classification of part-time farming systems, using a set of variables which previous studies have suggested are of diagnostic significance. RESEARCH CONTEXT AND DESIGN Definitions of part-time farming are legion, as are reviews of the part-time farming literature (Frauendorfer, 1966; Fuguitt et al., 1977). It is not necessary to extend this debate here; suffice it to say that, despite broad areas of agreement, no consensus has been reached in regard to a typology of part-time farming systems. Specification of the unit of analysis has proved to be a major problem, as has the identification of discriminating variables. Whilst some studies have focused on the farm (holding) as a production unit, others have either referred to selected characteristics of individual part-time farmers or have widened their range of reference to include the part-time farmer and his family. Inevitably, descriptions of part-time farming Trans. Inst. Br. Geogr. N.S. 7, 88-97 (1982) Printed in Great Britain This content downloaded from 157.55.39.235 on Fri, 07 Oct 2016 05:59:11 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Part-time farming in Wales 89 systems have been based on a wide variety of attributes. However, certain attributes have established themselves as key indicators. Four of these are recognized in this study.