IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i14p5984-d1434293.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding Why Farmers Leave: Validating Key Indicators for Farm Exit in İzmir, Türkiye

Author

Listed:
  • Berna Türkekul

    (Agricultural Economics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ege University, 35040 İzmir, Türkiye)

  • Canan Fisun Abay

    (Agricultural Economics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ege University, 35040 İzmir, Türkiye)

Abstract

This study analyses the factors that affect farmers’ decisions to quit farming, using the İzmir region of Türkiye as a case study. A sample of 195 farmers was surveyed to identify the factors influencing this decision. Factors such as the farm type, farm size, agricultural subsidies, land ownership, and age of farmers were found to significantly affect the decisions of the farmers. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the changes in the selected variables. The sensitivity analysis showed that young farmers, under financial pressure and tenancy uncertainty, are likely to stay in farming when they receive agricultural subsidies. Thus, targeted financial subsidies can help sustain the livelihood of young farmers efficiently. This study reveals the important relationship between policy interventions and the long-term economic viability of farming as a livelihood. This relationship is crucial for the overall viability of agriculture and the well-being of rural communities. Overall, the findings from this study will inform the development of policies to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of rural farming communities in Türkiye.

Suggested Citation

  • Berna Türkekul & Canan Fisun Abay, 2024. "Understanding Why Farmers Leave: Validating Key Indicators for Farm Exit in İzmir, Türkiye," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:5984-:d:1434293
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5984/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5984/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Şinasi Akdemir & Elpidio Kougnigan & Fersin Keskin & Handan Vuruş Akçaöz & İsmet Boz & İlkay Kutlar & Yann Emmanuel Sonagnon Miassi & Güsel Küsek & Metin Türker, 2021. "Aging population and agricultural sustainability issues: case of Turkey," Post-Print hal-03776653, HAL.
    2. Alfred M. Stiglbauer & Christoph R. Weiss, 2000. "Family and Non-Family Succession in the Upper-Austrian Farm Sector," Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 54, pages 5-26.
    3. Sarah Ann Wheeler & Ying Xu & Alec Zuo, 2020. "Modelling the climate, water and socio-economic drivers of farmer exit in the Murray-Darling Basin," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 551-574, February.
    4. repec:ucp:ecdecc:v:29:y:1980:i:1:p:37-76 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Ayal Kimhi, 1994. "Optimal Timing of Farm Transferal From Parent to Child," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(2), pages 228-236.
    6. Christiaensen, Luc & Rutledge, Zachariah & Taylor, J. Edward, 2020. "The Future of Work in Agriculture - Some Reflections," Jobs Group Papers, Notes, and Guides 32012537, The World Bank.
    7. Judith Mollers & Jana Fritzsch, 2010. "Individual farm exit decisions in Croatian family farms," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 119-128.
    8. Alexander Zorn & Franziska Zimmert, 2022. "Structural change in the dairy sector: exit from farming and farm type change," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-31, December.
    9. Nigel Key & Michael J. Roberts, 2006. "Government Payments and Farm Business Survival," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(2), pages 382-392.
    10. Ayal Kimhi, 2000. "Is Part-Time Farming Really a Step in the Way Out of Agricultural?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(1), pages 38-48.
    11. Chenchen Ren & Xinyue Zhou & Chen Wang & Yaolin Guo & Yu Diao & Sisi Shen & Stefan Reis & Wanyue Li & Jianming Xu & Baojing Gu, 2023. "Ageing threatens sustainability of smallholder farming in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 616(7955), pages 96-103, April.
    12. Gunnar Breustedt & Thomas Glauben, 2007. "Driving Forces behind Exiting from Farming in Western Europe," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 115-127, February.
    13. Kimhi, Ayal & Bollman, Ray, 1999. "Family farm dynamics in Canada and Israel: the case of farm exits," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 69-79, August.
    14. Kelly J. Tiller & Shiferaw T. Feleke & Jane H. Starnes, 2010. "A discrete‐time hazard analysis of the exit of burley tobacco growers in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(5), pages 397-408, September.
    15. Ben White, 2012. "Agriculture and the Generation Problem: Rural Youth, Employment and the Future of Farming," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(6), pages 9-19, November.
    16. Stephan J. Goetz & David L. Debertin, 2001. "Why Farmers Quit: A County-Level Analysis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(4), pages 1010-1023.
    17. Ky–sti Pietola & Minna V”re & Alfons Oude Lansink, 2003. "Timing and type of exit from farming: farmers' early retirement programmes in Finland," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 30(1), pages 99-116, March.
    18. Ashok K. Mishra & J. Mathew Fannin & Hyunjeong Joo, 2014. "Off-Farm Work, Intensity of Government Payments, and Farm Exits: Evidence from a National Survey in the United States," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 62(2), pages 283-306, June.
    19. Jeremy D. Foltz, 2004. "Entry, Exit, and Farm Size: Assessing an Experiment in Dairy Price Policy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 86(3), pages 594-604.
    20. Defrancesco, Edi & Gatto, Paola & Mozzato, Daniele, 2018. "To leave or not to leave? Understanding determinants of farmers’ choices to remain in or abandon agri-environmental schemes," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 460-470.
    21. Bretford Griffin & Valentina Hartarska & Denis Nadolnyak, 2019. "Retirement Age Farmers¡¯ Exit and Disinvestment from Farming," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(12), pages 136-136, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Berlinschi, Ruxanda & Swinnen, Johan F.M. & Van Herck, Kristine, 2012. "Subsidies and agricultural employment: The education channel," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126776, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Sarah Ann Wheeler & Alec Zuo, 2017. "The impact of drought and water scarcity on irrigator farm exit intentions in the Murray–Darling Basin," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 61(3), pages 404-421, July.
    3. Alessandro Corsi & Vito Frontuto & Silvia Novelli, 2021. "What Drives Farm Structural Change? An Analysis of Economic, Demographic and Succession Factors," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, May.
    4. Emmanuel Paroissien & Laure Latruffe & Laurent Piet, 2021. "Early exit from business, performance and neighbours’ influence: a study of farmers in France [Effects of differing farm policies on farm structure and dynamics]," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 48(5), pages 1132-1161.
    5. Muhammad Irshad Ahmad & Les Oxley & Hengyun Ma, 2020. "What Makes Farmers Exit Farming: A Case Study of Sindh Province, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Sarah Ann Wheeler & Ying Xu & Alec Zuo, 2020. "Modelling the climate, water and socio-economic drivers of farmer exit in the Murray-Darling Basin," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 551-574, February.
    7. Ferjani, Ali & Zimmermann, Albert & Roesch, Andreas, 2015. "Determining Factors of Farm Exit in Agriculture in Switzerland," Agricultural Economics Review, Greek Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14.
    8. Ashok K. Mishra & J. Mathew Fannin & Hyunjeong Joo, 2014. "Off-Farm Work, Intensity of Government Payments, and Farm Exits: Evidence from a National Survey in the United States," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 62(2), pages 283-306, June.
    9. Elodie Douarin & Laure Latruffe, 2011. "Potential impact of the EU Single Area Payment on farm restructuring and efficiency in Lithuania," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 87-103.
    10. Roeder, Norbert & Kilian, Stefan, 2009. "Regional differences in the determinants for structural change in German agriculture," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 51463, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Viira, Ants-Hannes & Pöder, Anne & Värnik, Rando, 2014. "Discrepancies between the Intentions and Behaviour of Farm Operators in the Contexts of Farm Growth, Decline, Continuation and Exit – Evidence from Estonia," Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development, Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development, vol. 63(1).
    12. Viira, Ants-Hannes & Pöder, Anne & Värnik, Rando, 2014. "Discrepancies between the Intentions and Behaviour of Farm Operators in the Contexts of Farm Growth, Decline, Continuation and Exit – Evidence from Estonia," German Journal of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Department for Agricultural Economics, vol. 63(01), pages 1-17, March.
    13. Alec Zuo & Sarah Ann Wheeler & Peter Boxall & W. L. (Vic) Adamowicz & Darla Hatton MacDonald, 2015. "Identifying Water Prices at which Australian Farmers Will Exit Irrigation: Results of a Stated Preference Survey," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 91(S1), pages 109-123, June.
    14. Vare, Minna, 2005. "Spousal Effect and Timing of Farmers' Early Retirement Decisions," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24696, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Thomas Glauben & Hendrik Tietje & Christoph Weiss, 2006. "Agriculture on the move: Exploring regional differences in farm exit rates in Western Germany," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 26(1), pages 103-118, March.
    16. Denis Nadolnyak & Valentina Hartarska & Bretford Griffin, 2019. "The Impacts of Economic, Demographic, and Weather Factors on the Exit of Beginning Farmers in the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-17, August.
    17. Chiara Landi & Gianluca Stefani & Benedetto Rocchi & Ginevra Virginia Lombardi & Sabina Giampaolo, 2016. "Regional Differentiation and Farm Exit: A Hierarchical Model for Tuscany," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 208-230, February.
    18. Jan Fałkowski, 2010. "Zmiany liczby gospodarstw rolnych w Polsce w okresie transformacji," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 1-2, pages 89-108.
    19. Radosław PASTUSIAK & Magdalena JASINIAK & Michał SOLIWODA & Joanna STAWSKA, 2017. "What may determine off-farm income? A review," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 63(8), pages 380-391.
    20. Marie Dervillé & Gilles Allaire & Élise Maigné & Éric Cahuzac, 2017. "Internal and contextual drivers of dairy restructuring: evidence from French mountainous areas and post†quota prospects," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 48(1), pages 91-103, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:5984-:d:1434293. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.