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Density of resident farmers and rural inhabitants’ relationship to agriculture: operationalizing complex social interactions with a structural equation model

Author

Listed:
  • Ramona Bunkus

    (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

  • Ilkhom Soliev

    (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

  • Insa Theesfeld

    (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

Abstract

The presence of agriculture is diminishing in today’s society: it provides only a small percentage of jobs, and the number of visible farms that can provide exposure to agricultural processes is continuously decreasing. We hypothesize that the direct involvement with farm activities or interaction with farmers and visual appreciation of agricultural processes of all kinds, influences rural inhabitants’ relationship to agriculture. We assume that the latter plays a role in how far inhabitants are attached to their place, and more specifically, perceive rural place. In this paper, we aim to initiate a discussion on this complex social relationship and suggest a model to capture fine interactions between relationship to agriculture and rural place attachment. We examine the direct and indirect effects from the density of resident farmers on these interactions. We set up a model using data from empirical research in Germany conducted in 2016. We surveyed rural inhabitants and interviewed farmers in villages purposefully sampled based on high and low density of resident farmers. To reveal underlying relationships among the latent constructs and more directly measurable indicators, as well as the indirect effect of farm presence on place attachment through its effect on forming perceptions about agriculture, we operationalized our analysis using a structural equation model. Besides a good model fit, our initial results indicate that rural inhabitants form stronger relationship to agriculture when the density of resident farmers is higher. Further, farm presence and attachment to rural place are positively related, but needs to be better captured.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramona Bunkus & Ilkhom Soliev & Insa Theesfeld, 2020. "Density of resident farmers and rural inhabitants’ relationship to agriculture: operationalizing complex social interactions with a structural equation model," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(1), pages 47-63, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:37:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10460-019-09966-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-019-09966-7
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    2. Theesfeld, Insa & Soliev, Ilkhom & Bunkus, Ramona, 2020. "Social Dimensions of Agricultural Land Transactions in Germany: An Analysis with a Structural Equation Model," 60th Annual Conference, Halle/ Saale, Germany, September 23-25, 2020 305582, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
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    4. Wachter, Magdalena & Wytrzens, Hans Karl, 2022. "Barn or building lot? A cross-case comparison viewing the role of agricultural interests in Austria’s local spatial planning processes," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
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    6. Petrescu-Mag, Ruxandra Malina & Petrescu, Dacinia Crina & Azadi, Hossein, 2022. "From scythe to smartphone: Rural transformation in Romania evidenced by the perception of rural land and population," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).

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