A.
Framework of the study
The analysis of lives of farmers helps us to understand the conditions of smallholder
farmers. Having this in mind we can avoid having too high expectations towards our smallholder
farmers, it also allows us to realize how hard their situations is, as we can clarify ourselves that
we have to do whatever it takes to succeed.
Farmers must meet the changing needs of our planet and the expectations of regulators,
consumers, and food processors and retailers. There are increasing pressures from climate
change, soil erosion and biodiversity loss and from consumers’ changing tastes in food and
concerns about how it is produced. And the natural world that farming works with plants, pests
and diseases continue to pose their own challenges. While modern agriculture provides a large
number of solutions, the outcome is not always the same because each farm is unique: different
landscapes, soils, available technology and potential yields. (Syngenta, 2000)
Most farmers are motivated by their passion for their work; most of them can't imagine a life
without it. Farmers have the strength to get back up and try again after a period of failure or
disappointment because of their enthusiasm. Passionate farmer who breathe farming into every
pore of their being, run successful farms. Good farmers strive to enhance their farming and
business skills on a regular basis. ‘You have to look outside the box and challenge what you do,'
says Jeff Brown, a successful Illinois crop farmer. Your crops will only flourish to the extent that
you do!'
Nobody ever said that farming was a simple profession. A farmer is frequently confronted with
obstacles and crisis situations that require quick thinking and innovative solutions. Farmers are
proactive in their problem-solving approach. Farmers have established a reputation for their
innovative thinking by facing issues head on and finding solutions. Patience is required because
a farmer's reward is not immediate. In farming, there is no quick payoff or immediate profit.
Farmers' job happiness rises and falls with the seasons, and if there's a drought, it's an even
longer wait.
Sowing and harvesting are both time-consuming tasks. One of the most important characteristics
of a farmer is a never-say-die mentality. This is the mark of a successful farmer who is
committed to the long haul. Patience, endurance, and enthusiasm are required to overcome
obstacles and disappointments. (Mathews,2018)
Statement of Objectives
1.What are the experiences encountered of the respondents as they are growing their farms?
2.What are the factors to conquer the difficulties in farming?
3.What are the challenges encountered before the respondents reached their current status in life
4.
