Farm Management & Rural Development
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/24
2024-03-28T22:35:27ZBrainy, Crazy, Supernatural, Clumsy and Normal: Five profiles of children's stereotypical and non-stereotypical perceptions of scientists in the Draw-A-Scientist-Test
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/3176
Brainy, Crazy, Supernatural, Clumsy and Normal: Five profiles of children's stereotypical and non-stereotypical perceptions of scientists in the Draw-A-Scientist-Test
Brumovska, Tereza J.; Carroll, Sarah; Javornicky, Martin; Grenon, Muriel
Children's perceptions of scientists have traditionally been explored using the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST). However, the DAST method, whereby researchers analyse large numbers of children's drawings according to a checklist, is often criticised for not taking children's voices into account. In this study, to explore children's perceptions of scientists, children in four primary schools (N = 105) were asked to 'Draw a Scientist', then describe their drawings in an open-ended qualitative questionnaire. A subsample of 30 participants also participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis that was conducted on the collected data derived five different profiles of scientists described by children: 1) Brainy Scientist, 2) Crazy Scientist, 3) Supernatural Scientist, 4) Clumsy Scientist, and 5) Normal Scientist. These distinct profiles shift from the typical ‘stereotypical’ versus ‘non-stereotypical stance’ often presented, describing novel nuances within stereotypical profiles. This work highlights the importance of employing qualitative participatory research methods and incorporating children's voices. The article concludes with suggestions for several directions for future research.
peer-reviewed
2022-12-31T00:00:00ZPolicy drivers of farm succession and inheritance
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/2690
Policy drivers of farm succession and inheritance
Leonard, Brian; Kinsella, Anne; O’Donoghue, Cathal; Farrell, Maura; Mahon, Marie
Farm succession and inheritance is increasingly considered a complex phenomenon
which not only affects core dimensions of farm family life but also the agricultural
sector more widely. Intergenerational farm transfer in particular is increasingly viewed
as fundamental to the sustainability and development of global agriculture. In the
majority of EU countries, the average age of farmers is increasing, while the number of
farmers under 40 years of age is decreasing. There is growing concern that this
demographic trend may have negative impacts on the agricultural industry because it is
younger and not older farmers who are associated with more efficient and effective
production practices. The question of what motivates decisions to transfer farms is a
complex one, and research to date has not apparently enlightened agricultural policy to
the extent that current trends towards an ageing farm population are being managed.
This research aims to investigate economic and financial aspects of the policy drivers of
farm succession and inheritance in Ireland to understand what it is about the policy
environment that is failing to stimulate higher levels of farm transfer. It draws on the
Teagasc National Farm Survey data which provides Irish data to the Farm Accountancy
Data Network in the European Commission. A hypothetical microsimulation model is
used to investigate economic factors of farm transfers, with scenarios created to test
these factors and their impacts on the transfer process. The Net Present Value (NPV) of
income streams for farmers and their successors are calculated to assess which scenarios
have the highest/lowest financial effects. The findings illustrate a range of possible
scenarios for farm succession/inheritance, with some results indicating that under
current policy retaining a farm until death may be more economically beneficial to a
farmer than transferring land before death.
peer-reviewed
2017-02-01T00:00:00ZSystems Approach to the Economic Impact of Technical Performance in the Sheep Sector
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/2542
Systems Approach to the Economic Impact of Technical Performance in the Sheep Sector
Kilcline, Kevin; O' Donoghue, Cathal; Hennessy, Thia; Hynes, Stephen
This paper investigates the structure and characteristics of the full distribution of
sheep farms achieving various levels of financial and technical performance.
Analysing data from the Irish panel dataset, the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS)
shows Irish sheep farms exhibit relatively low level of technical performance and that
on-farm technical advances have been stagnant over the past 20 years. NFS data files
not previously manipulated for research purposes are used to capture monthly animal
data flows for the full sample of NFS sheep farms for the 3 year period 2008 – 2010.
Utilising this data we identify and analyse key flock performance indicators including
reproduction, mortality rates. These “Livestock Demographic” variables are important
indicators for estimating and modelling flock dynamics and production, combining
two drivers of flock performance: the biological characteristics of the stock on the
farm and the farmers’ flock management practices. Results indicate the potential
impacts on farm output and gross margins of improved animal performance which is
achievable through specific technology adoptions.
2015-04-15T00:00:00ZDeveloping a microsimulation model for farm forestry planting decisions
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/2517
Developing a microsimulation model for farm forestry planting decisions
Ryan, Mary; O’Donoghue, Cathal
There is increasing pressure in Europe to convert land from agriculture to forestry which
would enable the sequestration of additional carbon, thereby mitigating agricultural greenhouse gas
production. However, there is little or no information available on the drivers of the land use change
decision from agriculture to forestry at individual farm level, which is complicated by the inter-temporal
nature of the decision.This paper describes a static microsimulation approach which provides a better
understanding of the life-cycle relativity of forestry and agricultural incomes, using Ireland as a casestudy.
The microsimulation methodology allows for the generation of actual and counterfactual forest
and agricultural income streams and for other attributes of utility such as long-term wealth and leisure,
for the first time. These attributes are then modelled using purpose built forest models and farm
microdata from a 30 year longitudinal dataset. The results show the importance of financial drivers
but additionally show that wealth and leisure are also important factors in this inter-temporal land use
change decision. By facilitating the examination of the distribution of farms across the farming population,
the use of a static microsimulation approach allows us to make a considerable contribution
to the literature in relation to the underlying drivers of farm afforestation behaviour. In the broader
context of Climate Smart Agriculture and the Grand Challenges facing the intensification of agricultural
production, these findings have implications for policies that seek to optimize natural resource
use.
peer-reviewed
2018-01-01T00:00:00Z