Agriculture in Crisis?
Project management:
Prof. Dr. Martin Franz
Prof. Dr. Hajo Holst
Project team members:
Blerim Berisha
Prof. Dr. Martin Franz
Prof. Dr. Hajo Holst
Dr. Thomas Neise
Steffen Niehoff
Project Description
In the winter of 2023/24, farmers drew widespread public attention through tractor demonstrations and highway blockades across Germany. In response, an interdisciplinary research team from the Institute of Geography and the Institute of Social Sciences at Osnabrück University came together to investigate the phenomenon.
The project aims to deepen understanding of the motivations behind the agricultural protests and to explore broader attitudes and perspectives within the farming community.
- The recent farmer protests are a visible expression of what are known as transformation conflicts. While the demonstrations may appear to focus on issues like agricultural diesel subsidies and vehicle tax exemptions, these concerns are largely symbolic. At their core, the protests reflect fundamentally different visions for the future of agriculture—and conflicting views on the right path to achieve it.
- Central factors for the dissatisfaction of farmers are 1. a scepticism towards an ecologization of agriculture, 2. a feeling of bureaucratic overregulation and 3. pronounced economic concerns.
- Farmers are united in their criticism of the excessively low prices for their products. However, this was little discussed during the protests.
- A feeling of alienation from society and politics is widespread among farmers. Many do not feel valued or adequately represented.
- Farmers' perspectives on the sustainable transformation are heterogeneous: there is not only rejection of the transformation, but also approval and concern about a slowdown in the sustainable transformation of agriculture.