Quality of work of vegetable growers, in conventional and agroecological systems, in the Walloon Region (Belgium)
(2016) The 12th European IFSA Symposium — Location: Harper Adams University, UK (12.July.2016)
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- Abstract
- The present study explores the quality of work of vegetable growers for the fresh markets, in a diversity of conventional and agroecological systems. In the literature, we identified nine dimensions determining the quality of work : autonomy and control level, income and social benefits, work(in)security, political experience at work, time at work, job intrinsic benefits, job painfulness, health safety and competence. The production of vegetables in the Walloon Region (Belgium) may be categorized in four main types,ranging from market gardeners on a few hectares to cereal farmers who include some vegetables to their crop rotation. Each type was studied in both agroecological and conventional agriculture. We conducted 41 semi -directed interviews with vegetable producers. In addition to the evaluation of the nine dimensions, production and commercialisation systems, professional path, history, orientation to work and perception of the future were addressed. The first five dimensions appeared to be very central to understand, in our specific context,what distinguishes the different types of production from each other. In the present paperand for each group of producers, wewill focus on these five dimensions from a qualitative point of view in order to illustrate our general conclusions to the study on the quality of work. Each group of producers is confronted with the necessary trade-offs between the various dimensions. For each dimensionindeed, the quality of work is not systematically better for producers in agroecological agriculture. This appears particularly true for market gardeners on small areas.
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Dumont, A., & Baret, P. (2016). Quality of work of vegetable growers, in conventional and agroecological systems, in the Walloon Region (Belgium). The 12th European IFSA Symposium, Harper Adams University, UK. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/226769