The Austrian Female Farmers’ Perspective on Cooperation between Partners and Generations

Abstract

Family farms are still the prevailing form of farming in Austria. The success of a farm family depends predominantly on the cooperation within the family both between generations and between the partners. The literature on partner and intergenerational cooperation is scarce although unfavourable demographic trends have brought the issue of cooperation among partners and generations into the limelight. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that partner and intergenerational cooperation is very complex and ambivalent. Moreover, many social scientists stress that partner and intergenerational cooperation is increasingly important in caregiving and parenting. Female farmers have, therefore, a key role on farms. Most of the time female farmers are the first contact person in caregiving and children care issues, but who is responsible for caring for the female farmers in need. This paper presents how cooperation between partners and generations and life on farms are perceived by female farmers in Austria. Select data from the survey ‘Life and working conditions of female farmers in Austria’ conducted in the year 2016 is analysed. The results show not only considerable consistency but also ambivalence in the respondents’ views on partner and intergenerational cooperation and solidarity. However, the issues raised in this paper have considerable implications for our understanding of the nature of cooperation on farms.