The young farmers’ willingness to cooperate and their chances to get a property of land. The case of Homokhátság

Abstract

As far as the member states of the European Union are concerned, it can be said that besides the declining proportion of agricultural workers, even the number of young farmers is constantly decreasing. In the strategy of Europe 2020: The intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth, young agricultural growers are devoted a prominent role as taking the future of agriculture into consideration, this role is essential. In my research I am investigating the young smallholders of the southern region of the Great Hungarian Plain focusing on the young farmers of HomokhAitsAig, as a significant section where there are agricultural properties of land of really poor quality. The farmers in HomokhAitsAig dealing with fruit-and vine-growing or arable vegetable growing have tried to find the most suitable forms of agriculture. These characteristics cannot be found in other territories with poor fertility properties so HomokhAitsAig can be considered as a good example. Having the results, I would like to find answers to questions like what motivated the young farmers to start dealing with agriculture, how they see their prospects for the future and what sorts of challenges they face in our age. According to the opinion of the young farmers, the new land law which came into force on 1st May 2014 did not have a positive influence on the chances of their getting a property of land. Due to the arable prices risen recently only farmers with more capital are able to buy properties. Cooperation is less popular among the youngsters and only some of the respondents were aware of the concept of machinery rings.