Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems

This research aims to characterize the ways crop-livestock farms adapt themselves to work constraints. A follow-up of work activities was achieved in a sample of 14 family farms. Work times in each agricultural activity (livestock and crops) were quantified, distinguishing the contributions of famil...

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Main Authors: Mohamed Taher Sraïri, Youssra Ghabiyel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2017-06-01
Series:Annals of Agricultural Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0570178317300015
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author Mohamed Taher Sraïri
Youssra Ghabiyel
author_facet Mohamed Taher Sraïri
Youssra Ghabiyel
author_sort Mohamed Taher Sraïri
collection DOAJ
description This research aims to characterize the ways crop-livestock farms adapt themselves to work constraints. A follow-up of work activities was achieved in a sample of 14 family farms. Work times in each agricultural activity (livestock and crops) were quantified, distinguishing the contributions of family members and that of the off-farm workers. Results showed that the annual working time averaged 1030 days per year per farm. It increased with multiple activities within farms. Work devoted to livestock averaged 581 days a year, mainly achieved by family members, while crops necessitated 449 days of work, mostly assumed by off farm workers. Farms with limited arable land devoted significant time to livestock. The results also revealed that the gross incomes from one day of work in livestock were almost 50-times less than those from the same duration in cash crops. Altogether, the results confirm the necessity to consider work as a crucial variable determining farming systems’ performances and the use efficiency of this input. As a consequence, in many developing countries, the assumption of plenty of family workers availability may not be valid anymore to justify agricultural policies mainly based on intense on-farm work uses.
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spelling doaj.art-0bebac1e609f496aa8d2ab750ebce6c22022-12-22T00:04:33ZengElsevierAnnals of Agricultural Sciences0570-17832017-06-01621233210.1016/j.aoas.2017.01.001Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systemsMohamed Taher SraïriYoussra GhabiyelThis research aims to characterize the ways crop-livestock farms adapt themselves to work constraints. A follow-up of work activities was achieved in a sample of 14 family farms. Work times in each agricultural activity (livestock and crops) were quantified, distinguishing the contributions of family members and that of the off-farm workers. Results showed that the annual working time averaged 1030 days per year per farm. It increased with multiple activities within farms. Work devoted to livestock averaged 581 days a year, mainly achieved by family members, while crops necessitated 449 days of work, mostly assumed by off farm workers. Farms with limited arable land devoted significant time to livestock. The results also revealed that the gross incomes from one day of work in livestock were almost 50-times less than those from the same duration in cash crops. Altogether, the results confirm the necessity to consider work as a crucial variable determining farming systems’ performances and the use efficiency of this input. As a consequence, in many developing countries, the assumption of plenty of family workers availability may not be valid anymore to justify agricultural policies mainly based on intense on-farm work uses.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0570178317300015Cash cropsFarm follow-upFarm workFarming systemsGross incomeLivestock
spellingShingle Mohamed Taher Sraïri
Youssra Ghabiyel
Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
Annals of Agricultural Sciences
Cash crops
Farm follow-up
Farm work
Farming systems
Gross income
Livestock
title Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
title_full Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
title_fullStr Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
title_full_unstemmed Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
title_short Coping with the work constraints in crop-livestock farming systems
title_sort coping with the work constraints in crop livestock farming systems
topic Cash crops
Farm follow-up
Farm work
Farming systems
Gross income
Livestock
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0570178317300015
work_keys_str_mv AT mohamedtahersrairi copingwiththeworkconstraintsincroplivestockfarmingsystems
AT youssraghabiyel copingwiththeworkconstraintsincroplivestockfarmingsystems