The structure of Austrian agriculture is characterised by small and medium-sized family farms. Non-family labour has always made a significant contribution to agricultural production (see e.g. Agricultural Structure Survey 2016 - Farm Structure; Statistics Austria 2018, p. 54), but for a long time there was little interest in their situation. Media attention for seasonal workers and harvest workers has increased in recent years, but scientific considerations in agricultural research are only in their infancy.
Within the framework of the project "Resilience. COVID-19 Crisis and Agricultural and Forestry Value Chains - Lessons Learnt" (Head: WIFO), the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in agriculture and forestry were dealt with (BAB project 045/20). The sub-project "Unemployed workers from abroad in the agri-food value chain" examined the important role of seasonal workers and harvest helpers in fruit and vegetable growing, without whom it would not be possible to maintain production in Austria in many areas. In the course of the research work carried out, important findings on aspects of work organisation were identified.
Objective
The aim of this follow-up project is to further investigate the work organisation of non-family workers in Austrian agriculture. Changes in the countries of origin of the workers and the organisation of work assignments are to be analysed and outlined over time.
The results will also be presented in a joint book project with other research institutions on dependent employees in agriculture.
Work 2022
- Conducting qualitative interviews (group interviews with harvest workers/seasonal workers and farm-centred interviews with farm managers) on two wine-growing farms in southern Styria.
- Qualitative content analysis of the data collected in 2021 from selected crop farms employing non-family seasonal workers.
- Joint book project (anthology) with the Lausitzer Institut für strategische Beratung GbR and the Institut für sozialökonomische Strukturanalysen Berlin on the current state of research on dependent employees in agriculture.
Work 2023
- Publication of the anthology on the work of agricultural workers in the first half of 2023. A PDF download is available free of charge at: https://www.asg-goe.de/schriften_laendlichesozialfragen.shtml or https://www.asg-goe.de/Abhaengig-Beschaeftigte-in-der-Landwirtschaft.shtml.
- Presentation of results of this project at the XXXIX ESRS Congress in Rennes 3-7.7.2023
- Presentations and publication of papers in various scientific journals
Schedule
Project start: 01/2022
Project end: 12/2023
