Non-farming Population Research Articles

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.

Value Chain Analysis of Black Rice and its Value-Added Products in Manipur

The study examined the orientation of its value chain and the extent of profitability among value chain actors during 2022-23. The snowball sampling method was used to select respondents from the study area. A sample of 180 rice growers and 82 marketing stakeholders were selected for data collection. The result of the study indicated that the majority of farmers produced black rice for home consumption, while others produced it for the non-farming population. Chak-hao cake was identified as the most profitable product and secured maximum value addition by value chain actors. In contrast, Chak-hao bhujia was observed as the most preferred processed product of black rice by consumers. The study recommended a need for awareness among black rice growers regarding marketing linkage, the extent of profit, processing opportunities and the high market price of their products.

Spatio-Temporal Pattern and Driving Force Evolution of Cultivated Land Occupied by Urban Expansion in the Chengdu Metropolitan Area

Cultivated land is the principal land source for urban expansion. Recent large-scale urban expansion through the occupation of cultivated land has influenced regional food security and the realization of sustainable development goals. Based on data regarding the cultivated land occupied for urban construction in the Chengdu metropolitan area from 2000 to 2018, the spatio-temporal evolution of cultivated land occupied by urban expansion was analysed using the contribution index. Based on a model comparison, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to explore the spatio-temporal pattern and evolution path of significant driving factors. The results demonstrate that (1) the total area of cultivated land occupied by urban expansion from 2000 to 2018 was 470.528 km2 and mainly concentrated in the main urban area of Chengdu City and its surrounding districts and counties. The K value continued to decline from 93.23 to 37.48, indicating that the contribution of cultivated land in urban expansion is decreasing. (2) The GWR model, with a better fitting effect, demonstrates that the significant factors that influence the cultivated land occupied by urban expansion in the study area gradually shift from population aggregation factors to food safety and the proportion of non-farming population. (3) The evolution type of the driving force is mainly dominated by continuous change, and there is significant spatial heterogeneity in the evolution path. The population density → proportion of non-farm population → grain yield → comprehensive and proportion of cultivated land → per capita fixed asset investment → comprehensive → proportion of non-farm population were typical pathways. (4) Realizing the coordination between urban system structural optimization and cultivated land protection policies in the Chengdu metropolitan area is an important way to guarantee regional food and ecological security and promote the green and high-quality development of the metropolitan area. This study can promote coordination between urban expansion and cultivated land protection in metropolitan areas and provide a reference basis for sustainable economic and social development.

Exploring dairy farmers’ quality of life perceptions – A Swiss case study

Dairy farming is physically hard, with limited freedom due to twice-daily milking duties and low revenues. Moreover, globalization, deregulation and trade liberalization have significantly changed the conditions of dairy farming. How can dairy farmers in this context maintain good quality of life? What makes a life one of good quality? This paper uses a qualitative bottom-up approach to understand Swiss dairy farmers' and their families' individual criteria of quality of life, aiming to reconsider and complement the often used, standardized criteria of quality of life surveys. The analysis of the qualitative interview data reveals the importance of objective non-material as well as subjective components of quality of life. The paper shows that, contrary to what could be expected based on the farmer's ethic of being hardworking over long hours, farmers emphasize ‘time’ as an important criterion of quality of life, referring not only to leisure time, time with the family or time to lie in, but also time to think and plan. The paper further stresses the importance of eudaimonic wellbeing, which is largely missing in standardized quality of life studies on farming families and also some general quality of life concepts. In this regard, the paper highlights the lack of social recognition of farmers and the extent to which pressure and criticism from the non-farming population negatively influences farmers' quality of life. The paper concludes that to fully understand farming families' quality of life and thus the social sustainability of family farming, the subjective dimension of quality of life, especially eudaimonic wellbeing, needs to be fully incorporated in future studies, regardless of their methodological approach. Moreover, alluding to resilience research, the paper urges researchers to include ‘time to think and plan’ into future investigations, assuming that more time for self-reflection increases not only the subjective but also the objective dimension of quality of life.

Association of Agriculture Occupational Exposure With Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in South Indian Villages: REDSI Study.

There has been a huge increase in diabetes and its associated cardiovascular complications over the last decade, predominantly in the middle- and low-income countries. In these countries, the majority live in rural areas. The Rural Epidemiology of Diabetes in South India (REDSI) study was aimed to analyze the prevalence of diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, and its complications in rural farming and non-farming villages in Tamil Nadu, South India. A research survey on the prevalence of self-reported diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, alcohol and tobacco use) and agricultural occupational exposure was executed among 106,111 people from 61 villages in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India, during 2015–2018. Overall, we observed a diabetes prevalence of 11.9% in rural South India. A nearly two-fold higher prevalence of diabetes was observed among the farming community (15.0%) compared to that among the non-farming population (8.7%). Logistic regression analyses revealed a strong association with agrochemical exposure (P < 0.0001) and diabetes prevalence among rural farming people. Our survey indicates a high prevalence of diabetes in rural South India particularly among the farming community. This survey in conjunction with other epidemiological and experimental studies raises the need for understanding the etiology of diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors in rural communities.

Provisioning an Early City: Spatial Equilibrium in the Agricultural Economy at Angkor, Cambodia

A dominant view in economic anthropology is that farmers must overcome decreasing marginal returns in the process of intensification. However, it is difficult to reconcile this view with the emergence of urban systems, which require substantial increases in labor productivity to support a growing non-farming population. This quandary is starkly posed by the rise of Angkor (Cambodia, 9th–fourteenth centuries CE), one of the most extensive preindustrial cities yet documented through archaeology. Here, we leverage extensive documentation of the Greater Angkor Region to illustrate how the social and spatial organization of agricultural production contributed to its food system. First, we find evidence for supra-household-level organization that generated increasing returns to farming labor. Second, we find spatial patterns which indicate that land-use choices took transportation costs to the urban core into account. These patterns suggest agricultural production at Angkor was organized in ways that are more similar to other forms of urban production than to a smallholder system.

Effectiveness of Psychological Intervention by Videoconference for Family Members with Depression of Farmers Who Have Committed Suicide.

Background:In India two thirds of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. The suicide rate for farmers throughout the world is higher than the non-farming population with India being no exception. Family members of the household where a member has committed suicide are at an increased risk for depression, anxiety and suicide. There is a paucity of trained counsellors in India, while there is sufficient research showing counselling and therapy through videoconferencing is just as effective as in-person therapy. It is however, not commonly practiced in India, especially in rural settings. We propose to evaluate psychiatric morbidity and assess feasibility and effectiveness of videoconferencing for family members of farmers who had committed suicide.Objectives:The objective is to evaluate family members of farmers who have committed suicide for psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial risk factors. We aim to identify depression, anxiety and suicidal risk in family members and then administer psychological intervention through video-conferencing for depression to study its effectiveness in the cohort.Methodology:The data on completed farmer suicide would be collected from district authorities and police departments. Home visit would be made by research staff to assess the risk factors for the farmers who completed suicide. Family members would be screened for anxiety and depression and severity of depression and suicidal ideas would be rated. The family members having mild to moderate depression would be randomised and CBT based psychological intervention (5 sessions) over three months would be given by trained psychologist through videoconferencing. The outcome would be measured at the end of six months. Conclusions:Psychological interventions through video-conference might be beneficial in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in family members of the farmers who have committed suicide.

Epidemiological characteristics of asymptomatic Norovirus infection in a population from oyster (Ostrea rivularis Gould) farms in southern China.

The following paper investigates the prevalence and characteristics of asymptomatic norovirus infection in the population living around oyster farm sites. Two consecutive surveys were conducted from January 2014 to December 2014 and 4549 stool samples were screened during the same time period. The total asymptomatic infection rate was 4.04% (184/4549). Norovirus infection rate was 5.20% in oyster farming population which was significantly higher compared with non-farming population where the infection rate was 3.65% (χ2 = 5.49, P < 0.05). A total of 184 NoV positive samples were identified by real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and semi-nested RT-PCR and 136 sequences were obtained. The sequences were clustered into 14 genotypes. GI strains were clustered into six genotypes, including GI.2, GI.3, GI.5, GI.6, GI.8 and GI.9; while GII strains were clustered into GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, GII.5, GII.6, GII.8 and GII.13. GI.9 and GII.17 were the predominant and most prevalent genotypes, respectively. The GII.17 genotype replaced GII.4 becoming the dominant genotype in the oyster farming area in 2014. To sum up, long-term monitoring of asymptomatic infection is crucial for the detection of new variant strains and for identifying outbreaks during the early stage.

Farmers’ suicide and mental disorders perspectives in research approaches-comparison between- India and Australia

Background: Almost 90% of persons who commit or attempt suicide has a diagnosable mental disorder. Farmers are an occupational category with high suicide risk and their risk is more than that of the non-farming population. But there is no conclusive evidence as to whether farmers have more psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Are other causes also attributable to the increased suicide risk of farmers? Since research data about this is inconclusive, we decided to compare the research approaches and findings on farmers’ suicide conducted by mental health professionals with that of other professionals.Methods: A systematic search of published literature on farmers’ suicide for a period of 10 years from 2002 to 2012 was conducted using the electronic databases, PubMed and Google Scholar, using the keywords “farmers’ suicide”.Results: 49 articles were retrieved through PubMed search and 24,800 articles through Google scholar search. PubMed retrieved and Google Scholar retrieved articles were then compared keeping Australia and India as reference points.Conclusions: Comprehensive studies on farmers’ suicide, analyzing the diverse perspectives and causes, objectively and concurrently were lacking, especially from India. The Australian studies had attempted to include multifaceted perspectives on research about farmers’ suicide .There were no studies from India about interventions or their impact on farmers’ suicide. A segmented approach into farmers’ suicide research has its limitations. Novel methodologies incorporating diverse perspectives is needed from India for better understanding of the enigma of farmers’ suicide, so that steps can be taken to address such a public health and social issue.

'Hotspots' of livestock farms may influence lung function of neighboring residents

Background and aims: Only few studies used objective respiratory health data to evaluate the potential health risk of residential proximity to livestock farms. This study aims to explore associations between proximity to livestock farms and lung function in a general, non-farming population of adults living in a rural area. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2494 Dutch adults (20-72 yrs). A pre- and post-bronchodilator lung function test was conducted, and %predicted values were computed for FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75%, using GLI-2012 prediction equations. Atopy was assessed in serum: specific IgE to common allergens or a total IgE ≥ 100 IU/ml. Distance to the nearest pig, poultry, cattle, or any farm, and number of farms within 500 and 1000 m of the home address were determined using a Geographic Information System. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and generalized additive models (smoothing). Results: Linear associations between lung function parameters and exposure to emissions of livestock farms were all non-significant. However, smoothed plots indicated a steep decrease of %predicted values of FEV1 and FEF25-75% for subjects living near a large number of farms. A lower FEV1 (-1.86, p=0.06) and FEF25-75% (-4.50, p=0.03) was found in subjects living within 1000 m of ≥17 farms (11.3% of the study population) compared to subjects living within 1000 m of Conclusions: Our results suggest a negative effect on respiratory health for people living in 9hotspots9 of livestock farms, possibly due to dust or endotoxin exposure.

Prevalence of diabetes and related factors in Pengzhou city, Sichuan province

To study the prevalence, treatment and related risk factors of diabetes in Pengzhou city, so as to provide reference for the three-tier related prevention programs. Baseline survey of population of Sichuan province from the China Kadoorie Biobank, was used to analyze the prevalence and treatment of diabetes in Pengzhou city. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors on diabetes. The prevalence rate of diabetes was 3.7% in the 30-79 year-old groups in Pengzhou with the awareness rate, treatment rate and control rate as 45.2%, 36.6% and 17.6%, respectively. The prevalence rate, awareness rate and control rate appeared in the older age groups, high education level group, high income group and non-farming population group, were higher than that seen in the other groups. Factors as older age (OR=5.50, 95%CI: 4.77-6.34), low education (OR=0.43, 95%CI: 0.38-0.49), family with low income (OR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.82-0.90), family history of diabetes (OR=3.15, 95%CI: 2.72-3.65), hypertension (OR=2.94, 95%CI: 2.70-3.21), smoking (OR=2.11, 95% CI: 1.84-2.42), low fruit intake (OR=3.62, 95% CI: 3.23-4.07), sedentary leisure time (OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.16-1.41), physical activities (OR=2.11, 95% CI: 1.89-2.35), overweight or obesity (OR=2.33, 95% CI: 2.04-2.65), etc. were the risk factors of diabetes. Rates related to the awareness, treatment and control of diabetes in Pengzhou city were low. Programs on health education should be strengthened in all the population with contents focusing on healthy lifestyle. Special attention should be paid on the treatment and control of diabetes in the elderly population. Patients with diabetes should follow the standardized management programs.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Respiratory Symptoms in Rural Population

ABSTRACTResearch has shown that respiratory symptoms, including chronic cough, chronic phlegm, shortness of breath, and wheeze, are important markers that contribute to hospitalization, lung function decline, and other respiratory illness. This report aims to estimate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and associated environmental risk factors in farming and nonfarming rural-dwelling people. A baseline mail-out questionnaire to assess respiratory health outcomes as well as individual and contextual determinants in farm and small town cohorts was sent to 11,004 households within four geographical regions of Saskatchewan, Canada, in 2010. Completed questionnaires were received from 4624 households (8261 individuals). Outcome variables examined for this report were chronic cough, chronic phlegm, shortness of breath, and ever wheeze. Clustering effect within households was adjusted using generalized estimating equations. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was chronic cough, 9.2% (farm vs. nonfarm: 8.1% vs. 10.0%); chronic phlegm, 8.2% (farm vs. nonfarm: 6.7% vs. 9.3%); shortness of breath, 29.1% (farm vs. nonfarm: 25.5% vs. 31.6%); and ever wheeze, 40.6% (farm vs. nonfarm: 38.1% vs. 42.5%). There was a significantly higher prevalence of each respiratory symptomin the nonfarming population compared with the farming population (P < .01). Respiratory symptoms were positively associated with smoking, allergic reaction to inhaled allergens, and other environmental factors for farming and nonfarming populations. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was higher in the nonfarming rural population compared with the farming rural population. Environmental exposures such as work-related or home environment play an important role in the increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms in farming and nonfarming populations.

Spatial limitations on farms in urban outskirts

Farms face spatial pressures, disagreements with the non-farming population, and accessibility restrictions especially on urban outskirts. Limitations within settlements prevent them from expanding farm buildings or making changes to the areas used for work on the farm. Such a situation is the result of unsuitable spatial planning of settlements, in which farmland was included within areas zoned for development. This article focuses on spatial limitations on farms in the settlement of Moste in the Municipality of Komenda. These were determined by using officially available spatial data and records and by using geographical information systems. The analysis also included applicable spatial acts by the Municipality of Komenda, on the basis of which future expansion opportunities for farms were assessed.

Psychological Morbidity of Farmers and Non-farming Population: Results from a UK Survey

The relatively high rate of suicide among UK farmers suggests that they may suffer greater mental health problems than the general population. This paper provides a comparison of the psychological morbidity of farmers and their partners/spouses with non-farmers. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was administered using face-to-face interviews with 784 attendees of agricultural shows in the UK. Results show that GHQ-12 scores for farmers and their partners/spouses were significantly higher (P<0.001) than those for the non-farming population, indicating higher psychological morbidity among farmer families. Approximately 35% of farmers had scores 12 and higher (recommended cut-off for psychiatric disorders), compared to 27% of non-farmers. Within the farmers group, male respondents, those aged from 45 to 64, self-employed or not in paid employment, having a non-supervisory position and living in a rural area were characterized by higher mean GHQ-12 scores compared to correspondent subgroups from the non-farming population.

Investigation of a Focus of Q Fever in a Nonfarming Population in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Investigation of a Focus of Q Fever in a Nonfarming Population in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Spider-mite allergy and asthma in fruit growers.

Asthma and allergic diseases caused by domestic mites such as house dust mites and storage mites are major health problems worldwide. In contrast to domestic mites, spider mites are outdoor phytophagous mites causing significant damage to fruit leaves throughout the world. After several case reports of spider mite-induced asthma and allergy, cross-sectional surveys have demonstrated that spider mites are important allergens in the development of asthma and rhinitis in fruit farmers. Interestingly, epidemiological surveys have also demonstrated that spider mites are common sensitizing allergens that are related to the prevalence of asthma and rhinitis, even in the non-farming population exposed to spider mites. Protein analysis has demonstrated that crude extracts derived from spider mites contain several major allergens, and that N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the major allergens is not homologous with any previously characterized domestic mite allergens, suggesting that major allergens derived from spider mites are unique in terms of cross-reactivity to domestic mites. Taken together, these findings suggest that spider mites are important allergens in the development of asthma among the exposed non-farming population as well as among fruit farmers themselves, and that allergens derived from spider mites may be novel allergens.

集落モデルとその分布構造に関する研究 : 農村地域の類型に関する研究 3

The previous papers introduced two types of village typology : a basic village typology, using the original agricultural census data, and one using social structure and sttitudes indicators which were developed by the author. The current article presents six village models which are set by incorporating these two village typologies. Two of these models are further used as blue-prints for village revitalization. They are an agriculture-oriented village model and a life-oriented village model. The latter implies that there are villages which can no longer provide vivid community life based solely on agriculture-related activities. The study of the geographical distribution of the village models shows that when a village experiences urbanization the farmer's long-term view of himself being a full-time farmer weakens and that the economic reliance of villages on agriculture thus fades due also to increases in the non-farming population. And in the periphery of urban areas, the life-centered models can be seen in places. To conclude, it is possible to revitalize village communities through planning by making improvements where necessary based on a comparison of the village communities in question which the blue-print models.

Farmers' views of the prospects for agriculture in a metropolitan area

To determine how farmers view their future in agriculture under metropolitan development pressures, we interviewed 52 dairy and fruit/vegetable farmers in the suburbs of Worcester, Massachusetts, a metropolitan area in the heavily urbanized northeast region of the US. Three measures were used for whether the farmers are building up their farms or are anticipating having to leave agriculture: actions taken in the past five years, actions planned for the next five years and expectations of the future status of the land. The farmers were more positive and optimistic than would be expected from the ‘impermanence syndrome’ thought to cause the decline of agriculture near cities. Their answers varied more with personal and household characteristics than characteristics of the farm or of the surrounding area. This contradicts the belief that farmers' response to metropolitan pressures mainly is a consequence of land-use competition and the presence of a non-farming population.

Kala-azar in Ethopia I: Leishmanin skin test in Setit Humera, a kala-azar endemic area in northwestern Ethopia.

Leishmannin skin test surveys were carried out on 1057 farmers and non-farmers in the low-lying Setit Humera area of northwest Ethiopia, a region known to be endemic for kala-azar. The population of the Humera area is composed mainly of new migrants, and the mean time of residence for the entire population is only 4-4 years. The corresponding periods for the urban and farm-owning population are 6-3 years and migrant farm labourers 2-6 years. Most of the population comes from the highland provinces of Begemdir, Tigre, and Wollo, areas where kala-azar is virtually unknown except for two recent cases (Ashford et al., 1973b). 45-6% of farmers were skin test positive, but only 8-3% of non-farmers. Women in this area are only rarely involved in farming, hence there is a concommitant marked sex difference. The skin test results seem to be correlated with the results for sex, age, and occupation of known kala-azar patients. The percentage of skin test positivity increases with age and, particularly among farmers, with the length of time spent in the Humera lowlands. This correlation is lacking among non-farmers. The annual rate of infection to Leishmania sufficient to result in skin test conversion is around 7% per annum in agricultural workers in the Humera area, but less than 1% per annum in the non-farming population. The infection rate for farm workers to Leishmania prior to coming to Humera is around 2%, compared to less than 1% for the non-farmers. There appears (significant at 10%) to be a weak correlation between the induration of positive skin test and the length of time spent in Humera, suggesting that the degree of induration is related to the degree of exposure to Leishmania. The positive skin test in kala-azar endemic areas is probably the result of (a) nonpathogenic Leishmania species, (b) L. donovani of low virulence and/or (c) human host resistance to L. donovani.

Perceptions of Farm Stressors Among New Zealand Farm Managers

The New Zealand primary sector not only has one of the highest rates of job-related injuries and illness, but also the Accident Compensation Corporation has paid one o f the highest rate claims of more than NZ$22 million in 2004 and 2005 (ACC, 2006). There are a high number of cases among farmers and farm employees who are involved in fatalities, injuries and ill health where stress and fatigue are the major contributors. Stress-related illnesses, in particular attempted and successful suicides are now some of the major concerns and have attracted increased interest from academics abroad. The aim of the research is to examine the extent of occupational stress in farming. The survey was piloted and through extensive interviews and farm visits. The pilot study is part of a larger questionnaire survey of self-reported 1041 participants. The Edinburgh Farming Stress Inventory (Deary, Willock, &amp; McGregor, 1997) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) are utilized in the questionnaire survey. The preliminary analysis discloses the insignificant in the level of strain with non-farming population. Further, the demographic variables such as number of herds, marital status, age group, occupational status and size of the farm are found to he insignificant factors for contributing towards stressors-strains. However, there is significant score differences in the perceived stressors between men and women. The individual characteristic has shown to have greater importance in determining the psychiatric disturbance associated with stress. The contribution of this research is increased understanding of the causes and consequences of occupational stress in New Zealand farming industry. Further, the outcome will inform practices to identify areas where the industries can make improvements, be used in recruiting and selection programs and assist individuals in career planning