Opinions Of Farmers Research Articles

Survey of Flemish Poultry Farmers on How Birds Fit for Transport to the Slaughterhouse Are Selected, Caught, and Crated and Their Opinions Regarding the Pre-Transport Process.

The pre-transport phase induces stress, fear, and injury in poultry, but management choices greatly influence this. Pre-transport practices for spent hens and broilers in Flanders (Belgium) were studied. Poultry farmers (31 of 156 layers and 48 of 203 broiler farmers completed the survey) were surveyed on the selection of unfit chickens, catching and crating, and farmer opinion. A minority of farmers made a specific selection of chickens unfit for transport prior to catching (layers 25%: 5.1 ± 5.9 h, broilers 39%: 6.8 ± 7.0 h). More layer (69%) than broiler farmers (19%) withdrew feed too early (EU regulations stipulate max. 12 h before expected slaughter time). Layer farmers withdrew water earlier than broiler farmers (47.9 ± 51.1 min vs. 20.6 ± 23.3 min). More broiler than layer farmers believed that the container type affects the birds' welfare (48% vs. 27%; p < 0.05). On broiler farms, mechanical catching was preferred for catchers' well-being, while upright catching was considered better for animal welfare than catching more than three chickens by one/two legs, wings, or mechanically. Poultry farmers should be sensitized about the need for additional selection before catching, including clear guidelines about judging which birds are fit for transport.

Assessment of farmers opinion towards agricultural extension service delivery in Esan Southeast and Esan Central Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria

Assessment of farmers opinion towards agricultural extension service delivery in Esan Southeast and Esan Central Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria

THE MARKET OF OILSEEDS OF KAZAKHSTAN IN THE MEDIA: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

This article analyzes the market of oilseeds in Kazakhstan based on information from the media. The study covers the development of the agro-industrial complex of the country, taking into account the gradual reduction of acreage under cereals in favor of oilseeds. The paper examines the opinions of farmers and experts on this strategy, as well as its implementation in the current agricultural season. Special attention is paid to the role of mass media in covering the issues of the oilseed market and the importance of this industry in economic and social terms.The research methodology is based on the analysis of information from the mass media and the assessment of the opinions of agricultural experts.The research methodology is based on the analysis of information from the mass media and the assessment of the opinions of agricultural experts.The main results and analysis allow us to conclude that there is a need for further development of the oilseed market in Kazakhstan, given its importance for the country's economy. The conducted research contributes to the field of knowledge about the development of agriculture and allows us to identify the key problems and prospects of the industry.The practical significance of the work is to provide information about the oilseed market in Kazakhstan, which can be used in planning and developing agricultural development strategies.

Climate Change and Sustainable Crop Production: Farming is Changing

The current public focus on development and adoption of more sustainable approaches to crop production in many parts of Europe will require widespread and significant changes to the way we farm. These changes are made even more complicated as they have to be implemented against the background of climate change, which threatens to impose further challenges such as changing ranges of pest species, variable and extreme weather conditions, the potential for growing new crops and a range of other issues that will require ongoing adaptability. Government policy and legislation, such as the UK Sustainable Farming Initiative (SCI) and the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS), responds to the debate surrounding the future of farming by aiming to promote the adoption of more sustainable farming methods. Extensive work has been conducted in the UK to define what the new schemes encompass/require, and to seek farmer opinions and experience on the quality of the support and guidelines offered to adopters of the scheme, alongside financial support for implementing the work required. Maintaining the momentum of change needed to achieve the objectives encompassed by the new legislation will, however, require both a good understanding of how these schemes operate and close interaction between farmers, agronomists, industrial and academic R&amp;D providers, and regulators, to support on-farm implementation.

Opinion of farmers regarding video-based information dissemination for tomato cultivation

Opinion of farmers regarding video-based information dissemination for tomato cultivation

Agricultural Training and Livelihood Outcomes: Opinion of Farmers in Mezam Division in the North West Region of Cameroon

The objective of this study is to analyse the effect of agricultural training on livelihood outcomes of farmers in Mezam Division in the North West region of Cameroon. The data was elicited via a structured questionnaire administered on a sample of 381 farmers. Using cluster sampling approach, proximity villages were grouped into three clusters of Bamenda I, Bamenda II and Bamenda III, representing the 3 sub divisions in Mezam division in the North West region of Cameroon. Stratified random sampling was then used to select farmers to participate in the study. Data was analysed using ordinary least square and control function regression estimation techniques with altercation. The result revealed that agricultural training has a negative effect on the livelihood of farmers, due to factors such as lack of adoption of new farming method, inadequate training programs, and seminars, unsustainable practices such as usage of insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Based on the findings, it is recommended to carry out a detailed study to find out why this negative relationship between agricultural training and livelihood outcomes exist. Qualitative approaches such as focus group discussion and in-depth interviews will provide the expected insights.

Farmers Preference and Utilization of Power Weeder

This study is dedicated to exploring farmers’ perceptions of power weeders, a contemporary agricultural tool widely employed in diverse farming operations. It delves into the factors influencing farmers’ preferences for these machines and the tangible benefits they derive from incorporating them into their agricultural practices. To comprehensively capture farmers’ perspectives, the research employs qualitative data collection methods, such as in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Through these methods, the study aims to glean the subjective experiences and opinions of farmers, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of their attitudes towards power weeders. The collected data undergoes rigorous analysis utilizing diverse statistical tools, including simple percentage analysis, weighted average rank tests, and factor analysis. The findings of the study highlight several compelling reasons behind farmers’ inclination towards power weeders. Notably, the tool’s versatility emerges as a key factor, allowing it to be utilized across different crop types. Farmers express a strong preference for the ease of operation, low fuel consumption, and user-friendly features associated with power weeders. Additionally, government subsidies are identified as a significant motivating factor driving the widespread adoption of these tools among farmers. Moreover, the study sheds light on the array of benefits farmers experience through the utilization of power weeders. These advantages encompass the tool’s ease of manoeuvrability, its role as a versatile land transport mechanism, potential enhancements in overall productivity, and its suitability for a wide range of crops. In essence, the research provides a comprehensive exploration of farmers’ positive perceptions and the tangible advantages that drive their preference for integrating power weeders into modern agricultural practices.

Predicting opinion using deep learning: From burning to sustainable management of organic waste in Indian State of Punjab.

In winter season, the burning of crop residues for ease of sowing the next crop, along with industrial emissions and vehicular pollution leads to settling of a thick layer of smog in northern part of India. Therefore, to understand the opinion of farmers regarding sustainable management of organic waste, the present study was conducted in Ludhiana district of Indian state of Punjab. An ex post facto research design was used and a total of 800 dairy farmers having significant crop area were selected randomly for the study, grouped equally as small and large dairy farmers. Results revealed that majority of farmers had a highly favourable opinion regarding organic waste management due to the fact that they were aware of the ill-effects of undesirable practices like crop residue burning. Further, to predict the farmers' opinion and the effect of independent variables on farmers' opinion, a multi-layer perceptron feed-forward deep neural network was developed with mean squared error of 0.036 and 0.137 for validation and training data sets respectively, marking a novel approach of analysing farmers' behaviour. The neural network highlighted that with increase in the magnitude of input variables, namely, education, experience in dairying, information source utilisation, knowledge regarding organic waste management, etc., the farmers' opinion regarding sustainable waste management increases. The study concluded with the impression that cognitive processes like education, information and knowledge play a significant role in forming the opinion of the farmers. Therefore, efforts focusing on enhancing cognition should be made for sustainable management of organic waste.

Views and opinions of farmers and consumers on the trajectory of agriculture in times of military conflict: Insights from a Q-study in Germany

Abstract After three decades of orienting agriculture towards ecological and social sustainability goals, the Ukraine war catapulted productivity and supply goals back onto the political agenda. Against this background, the present study aimed to establish how farmers and food consumers envision the future of agriculture. Application of Q-methodology revealed three opinion groups for both farmers and consumers. In conclusion, the Ukraine war has not significantly shifted the balance between old and new societal demands on agriculture. Old discrepancies in the views of farmers and the non-farming population persist. While among the farmers surveyed the group of those who adhere to ‘business as usual’ predominates, there is no group among the consumers surveyed who share this view. Rather, there is a majority desire among consumers for the sector to continue to be aligned with sustainability goals. Security of supply is only an issue for a small proportion of the consumers surveyed.

Production and Marketing Risks for Tomato Growers in Halabja and Sulaymani Governorates in the Kurdistan Region / Iraq

The study aimed to identify the level of production and marketing risks facing tomato growers in the governorates of Halabja and Sulaymani, As well as determining the discrepancy between the independent variables studied for the respondents and the production and marketing risks, The data was collected using a questionnaire and the method of personal interview by taking a multi-stage random sample by selecting four regions famous for tomato cultivation in Halabja and Sulaymani governorates with (2050) farmers. Then, in the second stage, a proportional stratified random sample (16%) of the research population was taken. The sample size was (328) farmers. The results showed that the level of production and marketing risks facing tomato growers is high and tends to be medium. The result showed that there is no discrepancy in the opinions of farmers about the production and marketing risks facing tomato growers according to the research variables (Age, Size of farm holding, Type of farm holding, and Contact with the Agricultural Extension Worker), Conversely, disparities arise in relation to the research variables (Educational level, Years of agricultural experience, Volume of tomato production during the year, Involvement in training programs, Sources of agricultural information). Therefore, the researchers recommend intensifying specialized Involvement in training programs in the field of tomato production, marketing, and distributing production and marketing requirements to farmers at reasonable prices or supported by the government.

Toward climate-resilient and biodiverse agriculture in the Mediterranean region: experiences and perceptions of farmers engaged in sustainable food production

The abandonment of smallholder agriculture and the expansion of conventional intensive agriculture pose a potential threat to the multifunctionality of agriculture. The adoption of intensive conventional practices generates negative outcomes, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and degradation of land, water, and ecosystems. An ecological transition in agriculture is urgently needed. This paper collects and systematizes the opinion of farmers in Spain, engaged in different food production systems (e.g., organic agriculture, biodynamic agriculture, regenerative agriculture, and conservation agriculture), as alternatives to intensive conventional agriculture. In collaboration with agricultural associations and networks in Spain, we co-created an exploratory online survey including qualitative and quantitative questions. Based on 60 in-depth questionnaires, we assess (1) the practices used by the consulted farmers, (2) the perceived effects following the introduction of sustainable practices, and (3) the challenges and opportunities for farm profitability. Our preliminary results show that farmers apply nine out of 14 sustainable practices, on average, and 65% of our sample consciously adapt their practices to climate change. Farmers perceived positive changes in soil properties, biodiversity, and pests after using these practices. They mentioned the low income as the most significant challenge. Finally, we conducted an online discussion with representatives of the associations. Farmers’ perceptions of positive changes presented in this paper are not intended to be representative of farmer communities across Spain, but provide a first overview of those engaged in the ecological transition.

Assessing the effectiveness, practicality and cost effectiveness of mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from intensively cultivated peatlands

Peatlands drained for agriculture are among the most intensive sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the land-use sector. Policy decisions on the most effective strategies to reduce GHG emissions in line with Paris Agreement goals, alongside strategies that can halt any ongoing soil and biodiversity losses, are hindered by a lack of understanding on how proposed mitigation measures are likely to be received by the farming sector. Research has identified effective GHG reduction measures, but successful on-farm adoption of these measures is contingent upon farmer perceptions of the relative practicality of implementing the measures, and the economic impact that adoption will have on the farm business. In this study, Best–Worst Scaling, a discrete choice survey method, was utilised to elicit expert (climate change, policy and biodiversity) and farmer opinion on the relative effectiveness, practicality and level of economic cost of mitigation measures that can reduce GHG emissions at the farm level. The method enabled individual mitigation measures to be ranked by effectiveness (expert opinion), practicality and economic cost (farmer opinions). There were no measures ranked as both effective and practical, or effective with low cost, but there were measures ranked by farmers as practical and low cost to implement. These included: more effective nutrient management, reduced or no tillage, the installation of buffer zones, increased fossil fuel efficiency and the optimisation of irrigation systems. The strong divergence of ‘effective’ measures on the one hand, and ‘practical’ and ‘economic’ measures on the other, highlights the major challenges involved in reducing high GHG emissions from agricultural organic soils. Resolving these challenges will require a combination of financial mechanisms to compensate farmers for higher costs and/or reduced yields, engagement and advice to support farmers in adopting changes in management practice, and agricultural innovation and adaptation to maintain overall food production and economic viability. If these challenges are overcome, more sustainable landscape management on agricultural lowland peat could make significant contributions to achieve national and international climate change targets.

Opinions on Irrigation Water Management Tools and Alternative Irrigation Sources by Farmers from the Delta Region of Mississippi

AbstractWater withdrawals for irrigation at an unsustainable rate resulted in a decline in the groundwater levels in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) in the central southern USA. This drawdown of groundwater threatens agricultural production in the Mississippi Delta, an important agricultural region in the state of Mississippi, USA. Effective and efficient use of available resources is important to sustain and enhance agricultural productivity in this area. This study assessed the opinions of farmers on water conservation management practices and technologies that improve irrigation management and save water in the Mississippi Delta region based on data collected in an irrigation survey conducted in 2012. Most landowners believed that water conservation practices were effective in reducing irrigation water use without reducing maximum crop yields and have a positive return on investment. Land forming, tailwater recovery system, on‐farm storage, instream weirs to pond surface water, computerized hole selection for furrow irrigation, short irrigation runs, and irrigation scheduling were considered efficient water conservation technologies by landowners. Perceptions about use of different practices also depend upon the crops produced by the respondents. About 20 to 24% and 14.9 to 86% of survey respondents thought that on‐farm storage and center pivot, respectively, were inefficient water conservation practices for irrigating crops in the Mississippi Delta. The adoption of these practices may be increased if the landowners know the economic returns of implementing them.

Pola Tanam Agroforestry Dusung di Negeri Leahari Kecamatan Leitimur Selatanan Kota Ambon

Agroforestry is a land use activity that aims to maintain or increase total yields in a sustainable manner by combining woody plants with food crops or forage crops on the same plot of land, either simultaneously or alternately, using management practices. according to local ecological, economic, social, and cultural conditions So far, Negeri Leahari has only depended on the season and only on a small scale to meet the economic needs of the community, so farmers do not know how much income they get from managing the hamlet. This study aims to determine the cropping patterns and income levels of agroforestry farmers in Dusung Negeri Leahari,This study used direct observation methods and interviews with hamlet owners. The results showed that there were two hamlet management patterns in Leahari Country, namely Trees Along Border and Mixture Random Of the 20 respondents, 12 people, or 60%, used the Trees Along Border pattern, while those who used the Mixture Random pattern were as many as 8 people, or 40%. The net income obtained using the Trees Along Border pattern is Rp. 41,425,000/year, or 60%, while the net income obtained using Mixture Random, is Rp. 23,176,000/year, or 40%. In conclusion, there are 2 agroforestry management patterns: the Trees Along Border Pattern and the Random Mixture Pattern while the level of farmer opinion with the Trees Along Border Pattern is Rp. 3,452,089, and with the Random Mixture Pattern, the average is Rp. 2,897,000.

Are farmers aware of first aid measures for their injuries-a survey in rural Karnataka, India

Background: Agriculture, being the main source of livelihood in most parts of the country, has some hidden dangers to the farmers which get them injured or ill. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted for 2 months among farmers aged &gt;18 years of age residing in rural Mysuru. A purposive sampling technique was used and the data was collected from 150 farmers through house-to-house interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Results: The survey took account of the farmer's opinion on first aid procedures; a vast majority of the practices weren’t supported by any scientific evidence. Ineffective first-aid procedures could worsen the problem. Thus, the farmers should receive sufficient first aid training and education, enabling them to take appropriate action for themselves and their communities in an emergency. Conclusions: The survey took account of the farmer's opinion on first aid procedures; a vast majority of the practices weren’t supported by any scientific evidence. Ineffective first-aid procedures could worsen the problem. Thus, the farmers should receive sufficient first aid training and education, enabling them to take appropriate action for themselves and their communities in an emergency.

Presenting a Sustainable Production Model of Vegetable Products (Potato Case Study)

One of the most important key issues in the world economy is the issue of sustainable production management and waste control of agricultural products. In this study, considering the economic, social and environmental importance of potato product waste, relying on the concepts and opinions of farmers, experts and experts in this field, an explanation of potato waste reduction management and its sustainable production model has been tried in Bahar city of Hamadan province should be presented. The methodology of this research is qualitative, and in the discussion of the method, the basic theory method is used. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, photos, videos, and documents, and the validity of the research was confirmed by agricultural experts. The highest amount of potato production waste is related to the harvesting and post-harvest stages. Also, the effective factors in the occurrence of potato waste in Bahar city can be listed in six major factors including economic, biological and natural, educational and skill, social, political and technical issues. The basic problems and challenges of potato waste in Bahar include three main categories that affect the economic, social and environmental sectors. The results showed that potato waste reduction management training is the most important common priority in all stages of sustainable potato production, because it leads to diversification of activities, reduction of agricultural risks, creation of new demand, generation of income and growth of industries. transformation and added value and increase of agricultural development opportunities. Two simple and logical models as the main framework for solving the problem, first for the farmers and then for the managers of the organizations, policy makers and planners in different stages of actions before, during cultivation, before harvesting, after harvesting and marketing.

Farmers Perception On Land Use Pattern

In drought prone Rayalaseema region agriculture is the principal occupation of the people and is influencing the land use pattern. The study of Farmer’s perception on land use and its planning has a considerable importance. To find out the farmers perception on the agricultural land use pattern in Chittoor district of Rayalaseema region, farmer's opinion on land use pattern and its related aspects have been collected. For this, a field survey was conducted through questionnaire with different parameters like total agriculture land, land under different crops, total cultivated area, area under food crops, area under commercial crops, land under fruit gardens, land under fallow land. etc. For this 6 mandals have been selected for sample field survey. The sample mandals are selected on the basis of factors like mandals which are located in drought prone area, located in high rain fall receiving area. located in irrigation source area, located in fruit growing dominance and areas with high intensity of commercial cropping pattern. Apart from these factors, distribution of mandals based on nature of topography like plain, valley and plateau land forms were also taken in to account. To know the farmers perception on cropping pattern. 6 mandals have been selected for sample field survey. The study has indicated agricultural land use, cropped area, crops cultivated, shifting from traditional cropping system to commercial and cash crops in different farming communities. Keywords: Perception, Holdings Commercial Cropping, Mechanization, Drought Prone Area

An Economic Study of the Most Important Varieties of Wheat Crop in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt

The agricultural sector represents an important place in the national economy, as it contributes about LE 438.73 billion, representing about 11.31% of the national income, which amounted to about LE 3879.42 billion in 2020, and the cultivated area of the wheat crop in Egypt reached 3.13 million feddans, while the cultivated area in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate amounted to about 217.11 thousand feddans in 2019. The research problem is represented in the food production of the wheat crop that does not meet the food consumption needs of it as a result of the steady increase in the population, which led to the emergence of a food gap that is covered by importing from abroad. The research aims to shed light on some economic indicators for the production of wheat crop in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate and to estimate the economic efficiency of the production elements used, by relying on the method of descriptive and quantitative analysis of data using standard analytical methods, and the research relied on two types of published and unpublished secondary data in addition to primary data for a sample. A field survey was collected using a research questionnaire specially prepared for this purpose, with a personal interview from a multi-stage random sample of wheat growers in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, and with regard to the productive situation of the most important varieties of wheat crop in Egypt and Kafr El-Sheikh, the most important results were as follows: The average area of wheat in Egypt during the period (2005-2019) was about 3.02 million feddans, and the average feddan productivity of wheat in Egypt during the period (2005-2019) was about 18.29 ardeb/ feddan, and the average total production was about 55.21 million ardeb Which is equivalent to about 8.142 million tons, while the average cultivated area in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate during the same period was about 230.43 thousand feddans. With an average relative importance of the cultivated area of wheat in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate compared to the cultivated area of it in Egypt, it turned out that it amounted to about 7.67%, and it was found that the average productivity per feddan of wheat in Kafr El-Sheikh during the period (2005-2019) amounted to about 15.51 ardeb/ feddan, and the average of total production is about 3.58 million ardebs, which is equivalent to about 537 million tons. By studying the average relative importance of the total production of wheat in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate compared to the total production of wheat in Egypt, it was found that it amounted to about 6.35%. It is also clear that the value of the cost of production inputs, as well as the relative importance of each of them to the total costs of wheat varieties (Misr 1, Misr 2, Giza 171) in question, where the average total costs of them amounted to about LE 12,820, 12.04 and 10.55 thousand/ feddan for each of them, respectively, and the average of the fixed costs are about LE 5.6, 4.78, and 5.69 thousand / feddan for each of them, respectively, representing about 43.77%, 39.7% and 53.9% of the average total costs, and the average public expenses amounted to about LE 40.76, 90.19 and 75.32 / feddan, representing about 0.32 %, 0.75%, 0.71% of each, respectively, of the average total total costs. The production functions were estimated in the logarithmic form, and they gave the best results in order to estimate the economic efficiency used in the production of wheat varieties, thus activating the positive factors and discouraging negative factors to reach a better use of the productive resources used in the production of this crop. The cubic model was chosen, and the optimum and maximal size of the profits were estimated for each of the wheat varieties, Misr 1, Misr 2, and Giza 171, while the variable costs amounted to about LE 7.2, 7.26 and 4.86 thousand/ feddan for each of them, respectively. The economic indicators for the production of the most important varieties of wheat grown in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate were studied, which are the varieties of Misr 1, Misr 2, and Giza 171. The problems faced by wheat farmers in the research sample were also studied, and the opinions of farmers in these problems were studied.

Installing Flower Strips to Promote Pollinators in Simplified Agricultural Landscapes: Comprehensive Viability Assessment in Sunflower Fields

The installation of flower strips in simplified agricultural landscapes has been promoted as a tool to improve pollination services. While the effectiveness of flower strips in increasing pollinator visitation and yield is well-established, the social and economic feasibility of this measure remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the economic efficiency and social feasibility of installing flower strips to promote pollination under different scenarios of subsidy. A 2-year experiment was implemented by comparing sunflower fields with and without installed flower strips in central Spain, along with local farmer opinions obtained via a focus group. Flower strips significantly increased wild bee visitation to sunflower heads in the second year after implementation, with seed set being 11% higher on average in fields that had flower strips. Cost–benefit analysis revealed that investment in flower strips would be recovered by 4–5 years after installation, depending on the subsidy used. In the most favorable subsidy scenario, farmers could increase their annual benefits by 8.7% (29 €/ha) after recovering the initial investment. However, most local farmers did not perceive a significant increase in yield associated with the flower strip installation. The use of flower strips was negatively identified by farmers as a source of invasive weeds in adjacent fields, along with a lack of technical advice and economic incentives. Farmers fully agreed that direct economic subsidies were required for flower strips to be accepted as feasible approaches in the long-term.

Farm animal welfare: A survey of the opinion of farmers and consumers in Sardinia

Animal welfare in the European Union is strictly regulated and has the highest standards in the field. It is also present in the CAP in both the first and second pillars. In Sardinia, animal welfare has taken on greater importance since it was introduced via the Rural Development Plan (RDP) in 2005. The context in which the animal welfare programme was initiated was that of a rural setting that had never before followed such projects and to which even the word welfare aimed at animals was alien. The welfare plan was geared hygiene in milking and housing, and the fight against foot problems and stress for primiparous ewes during the first week of milking. After 15 years of implementing animal welfare support interventions from public funds, this work aimed to investigate the perception of animal welfare among both beneficiary farmers and citizen-consumers. The data were collected in a linked survey on both farmers and consumers who are involved in the profound social and economic implications for the Island. On the one hand, 98% of breeders consider animal welfare to be important for the health and productivity of their animals, even though 59% also claim to have changed little or nothing in their farm management following the introduction of RDP measures, partially because the animal welfare measures were already being practised. On the other hand, public respondents’ willingness to pay more when it comes to purchase decisions can be considered as interesting evidence of a possible collective understanding which deserves further investigation. The results highlight the fact that animal welfare is undoubtedly a well-known and topical issue which has gained widespread attention and a broad agreement on its relevance and priority. Nonetheless, a shared vision on the meaning of welfare is lacking, even within regional policies that appear to be strongly segmented.