返鄉青農賦權過程之研究-以台灣東勢為例

Abstract

作為農業後繼者，青農對於農業發展至關重要。近二十年來全球農業就業人口大幅減少，政府為吸引青年返鄉從農提出許多優惠政策與輔導措施。然而，青農返鄉後依舊可能由於面臨從農困境而導致離農，對此，青農需要透過行動突破困境以利長久留農。

本研究之研究目的在於探討青農返鄉留農的過程，青農透過行動突破從農困境是賦權的展現，透過青農賦權過程，得以理解當代青農所面臨的困境，以及可以透過哪些行動解決從農困境，行動是指從正式或非正式管道獲取從農資源，並在個別農場中利用從農資源以增加自身留農的可能性。相較於利用從農路徑來理解青農從農的各個階段，賦權過程紀錄著青農返鄉後的具體行動，以便理解青農農業事業的實質變化，更能具體呈現青農返鄉從農過程的真實狀態。

本研究之研究田野位於以種植高經濟價值作物聞名的臺中市東勢區，並以具有創新研發與團體合作精神的東勢青農作為本研究之受訪者。本研究採用深度訪談法搜集十位青農的賦權過程，並採用個案分析作為本研究之分析方法。

研究結果顯示了賦權過程可以具體呈現東勢青農具體的從農過程。東勢青農透過分散風險的經營管理策略、豐富的學習管道和拓展多種收入來源，解決產銷管理層面的困境；同時，為解決勞動力支持層面的困境，東勢青農需要動態調整產銷模式，並且找尋與建立當地的社會支持網絡；在面臨社會支持層面的困境時，青農採取行動緩和代間矛盾，並集結資源組建在地團體，建立在地的社會支持系統。本研究根據研究結果提出以下結論與建議：（一）青農賦權是持續的動態過程，青農建立固定的產銷模式後，藉由持續學習新的農業技術，突破現有的經營管理策略，以保障農場永續發展；（二）非正式協力可以視為青農從農資源之補充，團體合作的形式解決了個別農場的困境，提升了青農的留農條件與意願；（三）當代青農具有多樣化的產銷模式，然而，經驗不足的青農較難針對自身農場建立合適且永續的產銷模式，建議政府針對青農建立一套產銷管理輔導計畫，主動評估與追蹤每一位農業新進者農場經營管理狀況，並提供青農產銷建議與培訓課程，以協助青農建立能夠永續發展的產銷模式；（四）伴侶與家庭是青農留農的關鍵，建議未來可以增加提供青農伴侶與整個家庭社會支持之相關政策，協助青農家庭留鄉，增進青農長久留農之意願。

As successors in agriculture, young farmers play a crucial role in the development of the agricultural sector. Over the past two decades, the global agricultural workforce has seen a significant decline, prompting governments to introduce various incentives and support measures to attract young individuals back to rural areas for farming. However, even upon returning to their hometowns, young farmers still face challenges in pursuing agriculture. To ensure long-term engagement in farming, young farmers need to take proactive actions to overcome these challenges.

This research aims to explore the process of young farmers transitioning from returning to persistently engaging in farming. The empowerment of young farmers through their actions is examined as a manifestation of overcoming challenges in agriculture. By understanding the empowerment process, the study seeks to identify the difficulties young farmers face in sustaining their involvement in agriculture in contemporary Taiwan and explore actions they can take to address these challenges. This includes accessing formal or informal channels for agricultural resources and how young farmers can utilize these resources on individual farms to increase the likelihood of persisting in farming. Unlike the conventional approach of understanding the stages of young farmers'' involvement in agriculture, the empowerment process documents specific actions taken by young farmers upon their return to comprehensively reflect the real conditions of their agricultural endeavors.

The research was conducted in the Dongshi District of Taichung City, renowned for cultivating high-value crops. The study participants were innovative and collaboratively oriented young farmers from Dongshi. Deep interviews with ten young farmers were conducted, and case analysis was employed as the primary method of analysis.

The research results demonstrate that the empowerment process can concretely depict the specific farming process of young farmers in Dongshi. Through decentralized risk management strategies, diverse learning channels, and the expansion of multiple income sources, young farmers in Dongshi address challenges at the production and marketing management levels. Simultaneously, to overcome difficulties in labor support, they need to dynamically adjust production and marketing models and establish local social support networks. Faced with challenges in social support, young farmers take actions to mitigate or avoid intergenerational conflicts, mobilize resources to form local groups, and establish local social support systems. Based on the research findings, the study proposes the following conclusions and suggestions: (1) Young farmer empowerment is a continuous dynamic process. After establishing a fixed production and marketing model, young farmers break through existing management strategies through continuous learning of new agricultural technologies to ensure the sustainable development of their farms. (2) Informal cooperation can be regarded as a supplement to young farmers'' agricultural resources. Cooperative forms of group collaboration solve individual farm challenges and enhance the conditions and willingness of young farmers to stay in agriculture. (3) Contemporary young farmers have diversified production and marketing models. However, due to their lack of experience, it is challenging for them to establish suitable and sustainable production and marketing models for their farms. The government is recommended to establish a production and marketing management guidance program for young farmers. Actively assessing and tracking the operational status of each new entrant in agriculture, providing production and marketing advice, and offering training courses to help young farmers establish sustainable production and marketing models. (4) Partners and family are crucial for young farmers to stay in agriculture. It is suggested that future policies increase support for the partners and entire families of young farmers, assisting in the retention of young farmer families in rural areas and enhancing the long-term willingness of young farmers to stay in agriculture.