Economic downturn hitting part-time farmers hard, research shows
David Meredith pointed out the numbers employed in agriculture are declining and so too are the off-farm jobs held by part-time farmers.
The total number of people employed in agriculture declined from 115,000 at the end of 2008 to 98,000 during 2009.
While the absolute number of those working in the sector fell, so too did the sector’s relative share of total employment, which now accounts for 5% of the total Irish workforce.
The primary driver of the change between the second quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009 was a fall in the number of self-employed farmers. Mr Meredith assesses changes in the sectoral composition of off-farm employment in the latest edition of TResearch, the Teagasc research and innovation magazine. It highlights the variance in the numbers of farmers losing their jobs, depending on the sectors they are working in.
The construction sector was the most important sector providing off-farm employment for farmers, but those working in it witnessed the greatest fall in employment over the period analysed.
This decline accounts for half of the drop in off-farm employment experienced by farmers. Mr Meredith said the two key factors thought to influence the level of exposure to unemployment in this sector are: education and skill levels, and geographic location relative to employment opportunities.
“With nearly 70% of all farmers recording lower secondary education as their highest qualification, they are more vulnerable to unemployment in the economic downturn.
“As of 2006, only 6% of farmers had a third-level degree. A need has been identified to develop the existing skills of farmers to enable them to participate in the development of the rural economy,” he said.
Mr Meredith said these developments in the employment market are of concern given the extent to which off-farm income supports the viability of many farms.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
