Study On Farmers’ Liveiihood And The Willingness Of Rural Labor Force To Engage In Professional Agricultural Producion

The thesis of this study arise from the dispute on“no one is farming”and“who will cultivate the land in the future ”. Seeing that the problem of new-generation farmers giving up farming have become increasingly prominent, many scholars express their concerns about the future of our agricultural development, and point out that, in the near future, China is likely to face a crisis of agricultural succession. Thus, the government based on the consideration of promoting agricultural modernization, called for the cultivation of a large number of new farmers, people who is well-educated, know how to use new technology, know how to run a farm, and professional farmers with more market consciousness. However, in the determination of the cultivation object of professional farmers, the practice of each place is very different.In my opinion, those farmers who are now farming in the countryside shall be taken into consideration. Therefore, it is necessary to precisely identify those farmers and its family who are willing to engage in professional agricultural production.Based on the above, basing on researches on farmers’ livelihoods, professional farmers, and the willingness of farming, referring to the Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis Framework, the Theory of Farmer’s Behavior and the Theory of Planned Behavior, I investigated 15 sample rural communities of 4 sample villages and towns in Suizhou and Huanggang, Hubei Province. In the article, I depicted and analyzed the livelihood patterns of the sample farmers, resource endowment situation, and their living conditions. I also analyzed the willingness and its influential factors of rural labor force engaging in professional agricultural production. And combining with the qualitative materials, I discussed the problems and development prospects of the current agricultural development.Specific research conclusions are as follows:In terms of the livelihood of farmers, through labor obtain income is the main way to make a living. According to agricultural income accounted for the proportion of productive income, the livelihood patterns of the sample farmers can be divided into pure non-farm households, part-time peasant household, and pure peasant household. There aresignificant differences in the labor resources, alternative labor resources, agricultural land resources, and the participation of cooperative organization. In terms of livelihood status,more than half of the sample farmers per capital income level exceed the national average,consumption expenditure is mainly to ensure the survival and development of the family.Overall, the sample farmers feel a greater pressure on money spending, the subjective assessment of the level of life satisfaction tends to be negative.Taking into account of the willingness and its influential factors of rural labor force engaging in professional agricultural production, as the statistical data display, 41.5% of the respondents have the willingness. If the operating conditions are improved, the proportion will increase to 57.8%, among them, the expected operating scale of less than30 Chinese acres of the proportion accounted for 59.2%, less than 50 Chinese acres of the proportion accounted for 59.2%. Logistic regression analysis showed that, farmers’ living conditions significantly affect the willingness of rural labor to engage in professional agricultural production. Compared to the pure non-farm households, the labor force in the part-time peasant household is more likely to be a professional farmer. Having agricultural machinery will significantly enhance Individual’s willingness. The actual operation of cultivated land area also has a positive stimulating effect. The greater the pressure on household money spending, the more likely to change the current state of subsistence by engaging in professional agricultural production. In terms of the basic characteristics of the individual, the higher the education level of the rural labor force, the more likely to choose to be a professional farmer.In terms of the environmental conditions of agricultural land management, the availability of land is significantly negatively correlated with the Individual’s willingness.The government’s agricultural subsidy has a significant positive effect. The results also showed that,for the general farmers, in the case of limited capital investment capacity and availability of land, the relationship between the expected operating scale and the expected planting structure is mutually restricted.Through the analysis of qualitative data, the following conclusions are drawn: The main problems faced by the current agricultural development is not no one farming but no good quality land can be operated. The natural condition of agricultural production is the most important factor that affects whether or not the farmers decide to manage the farmland. The operating requirement of the agricultural operator is to improve the cultivation conditions, there should be based on the scale of services to promote the scale of land management and then promote the modernization of agriculture. In this process, correctly handle and coordinate capitalist farm and family farm is very necessary,to prevent capital occupy the living space of the contracted farmers and small and medium scale farmers.