Reasons for Becoming a Farmer

Around the world, urbanization has been increasing. It was mentioned that there are farmers retiring from farming as they get old and they inherit their lands to their children. Some of such children are young people who own land and with no knowledge and skills about farming (Charles, 2020).This shows what may happen in the future if the trend continues in such way.

If you have dreamed of becoming a professional farmer, for producing food for your big community instead of yourself, it is essential to be ready to feel the earth in your hands when working the soil, and to be prepared to get challenged intellectually, to get uncertain financial benefit and to get involved in routine tasks on the farm among many others before getting the first profit from your farm. It is important to mention how owning as well as managing a successful farm is something of considerable satisfaction and which offers an optimistic experience.

Considering how farming is one of jobs of the greatest importance as well as of the most ancient ones on the earth (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). Also as mentioned that farming had been at the foundation of civilizations in the history of our planet (Wessel, 1984, Savory, 2018).

During the 20^th century, abundant, nutritious, and reliable food led to changes of the world inducing a boom in the population growth, a considerable decline in famine and disease, peace sustainability, and raised the average longevity of the human being. At the first place, such changes may apparently seem to have resulted from technological, defense and medicine advances, however, the real influence undoubtedly comes from the existence of food security. You know, for being able to perform their tasks, inventors, doctors, soldiers, and scientists among others need to eat.

Despite the fundamental necessity of food for living, there is no promise that people will prefer becoming farmers. There are many evidences of people, especially youth being encouraged to get involved more in sectors other than agriculture. Besides, it is rare to find companies recruiting farmers, and to find guidance counselors encouraging people, especially young people in universities to pursue farming, sometimes due to choosing to pursue sectors which pay a big salary after graduation.

Considering existing gaps in the training of professional young farmers (FAO, 2014, Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). This continues to raise a question about who is going to feed us in the future, because everyone needs to eat (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). Having young people turning their backs on agriculture can undoubtedly lead to a big issue in terms of food security in the near future.

Given that a good farmer is at the same time a good geologist, a good ecologist and a good biologist. A modern farmer needs to be equipped with such skills and encouraged to practice them as well as well as assisted in exploring various models which can bring to an agricultural success (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). In countries including Zambia, Pakistan, Kenya, Saint Lucia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Ghana, Cambodia, Uganda, and Brazil, research works suggested creative methods for ensuring that agricultural education and training can be adapted so that skills of young graduates can meet rural labor market’s needs (FAO, 2014). However, around the world, some gaps still exist in agricultural training and education. It was noticed that many leading universities in agricultural programs offer curriculums focusing more on agricultural operations relying on both machinery and chemicals at a large scale over an organic and sustainable farming at a small and medium size scale. There is also a less emphasis on alternative models which can lead to a success in agriculture (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). Despite recent findings that bigger farms do not always mean better farms (Ibendahl & Griffin, 2019, Melgares, 2019). It is still likely that economically, when it comes to the farm size, the big is considered as better, while bigger is still seen as the best (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018). This undoubtedly becomes a big issue that may hinder the promotion of small and medium size scale farming which may lead to a great success by consideration of all factors affecting the profitability of the farm.

As reported by Melgares (2019), the profitability of a farm is influenced by five factors including allocating acres to given crops, investing in machinery, farm size, operation and maintenance costs of machinery, and the debt level. This shows that exploiting existing machinery and technological facilities among other driving forces can considerably influence the overall farm profitability and success.

Although there are some taught questions like finding how to pay for health care, finding how to take a day off, and make a lot of money (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018), which may become as obstacles pushing young people willing to start farming to go far from it, sometimes due to noticing some constraints which may make it difficult to make a big profit from farming. But, looking beyond at how there is a great need for food in society.  As stressed by (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018), making a big profit when doing agriculture may take several years before reaching an epiphany. It is also essential to note that for ensuring that each and every one in society can live, we need to fulfill our great responsibility of producing food for our society. This is something which also requires some degree of volunteerism.

Pritchard & Polishuk (2018) mentioned that by ignoring conventional economics, with their determination, farmers voluntarily dedicate their money, physical energy and particularly their land resources with no warranty of repayment for producing food for other people.

When you ask yourself questions like, what forced farmers to farm? what drove them? What gave them a motivation? It becomes clear that it was neither for securing a job nor for earning money. So, this really proves how our society has been relying on a group of people working very hard who decided to raise their hands and said ‘I will do it’. I will be a volunteer for this job. Hope you got the point about how things work in society.

For joining the farming community and start to farm, you need to understand that no person is going to give you a raise, to give you a monthly salary, and to hire you. It simply requires to behave like a stupid and to be highly committed for performing a farming job.

It may seem very strange to think of farming as volunteering. For deeply understanding this, take time and think about following questions: Which other job undertaken by people with endless hours, with no warranty for days off or payment, and with no possibility for retirement? Moreover, which other occupation is fundamentally essential for society but remaining repeatedly less understood. As you dig more into such questions, there more it is well clarified to understand that there is a necessity for intentionally ignore and even to take an opposing view for signing up for the career of farming. It is also very important to understand that to run a successful farm requires perseverance and is like racing with no finish line.

Being a farmer is far wider than job description. It is a preference for pursuing a different way for living and requires defying cultural expectations and norms intentionally and willfully. When you start farming, there is no going back. Because, after tasting your first success, you will never think of returning back anymore.

Looking at both economic and cultural challenges faced by farmers, explaining why to become a farmer really becomes very complex. But there are several reasons for becoming a farmer, and the best ones are those particularly involving you. Farm because there is a persistently painful voice inside your head insisting that you have to do it, and you have to try farming. Farm because you are being called, and you have to listen. Even if there are discouraging challenges, farm because you have the confidence of becoming successful.

To understand why you should become a farmer will always be an individual process, and nobody else, except you can explain it perfectly. However, with days, when you have been able to grow your own food, become self-reliant, and got an income, may be that there will be no need for further explanation (Pritchard & Polishuk, 2018).

Becoming a farmer is something which has been of high prestige. Through farming, you produce what is fundamental for you and your society to live. So, it’s up to you to decide and sign up for joining the agricultural community.

References

Charles, D. (2020, July 14). How Absentee Landowners Keep Farmers From Protecting Water And Soil. NPR. Retrieved July 16, 2020, from https://www.npr.org/2020/07/14/890449857/how-absentee-landlords-keep-farmers-from-protecting-water-and-soil

FAO. (2014). Youth and Agriculture : Key Challenges and Concrete Solutions. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) , Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) & the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Retrieved July 15, 2020, from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3947e.pdf

Ibendahl, G., & Griffin, T. (2019, March 21). Top Farms and the Effect of Farm Size. AgManager. Retrieved from https://www.agmanager.info/finance-business-planning/research-papers-and-presentations/top-farms-and-effect-farm-size

Melgares, P. (2019, October 10). K-State ag economists rank state’s farms based on 10 years of KFMA data. Study: Farm size not always a true gauge of profitability. USA: K-State Research and Extension . Retrieved July 16, 2020, from https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2019/10/successful-kansas-farm-rankings.html

Pritchard, F., & Polishuk, E. (2018). Start Your Farm : The Authoritative Guide to Becoming a Sustainable 21st Century Farmer. New York: The experiment, LLC. Retrieved July 11, 2020

Savory, A. (2018, February 6). The fate of city-based civilization in the hands of farmers. Keynote talk No Till Winter Conference. Wichita, Kansas, USA: Savory Institute. Retrieved July 12, 2020, from https://savory.global/fate-city-based-civilization-hands-farmers/

Wessel, T. (1984, March). The agricultural foundations of civilization. Agriculture and Human Values, 1, 9-12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01530609

 

By

Jean Claude Tuyisenge