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The mental health of the farming community across industrialised nations has long been a major concern. Using an adapted procedure for a systematic literature review of observational epidemiological studies reporting prevalence (informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute method), this paper reviews peer-reviewed literature that explicitly compares farmer and non-farmer mental health (n=48). In doing so, it provides a central and accessible evidence base for researchers and practitioners, and simultaneously reveals a stark lack of consensus; specifically, 54.0 per cent of measures deployed to assess farmer mental health determined it to be the same as or even better than non-farming populations. This ambiguity sits in sharp contrast to the unequivocally worrisome farmer suicide statistics. Informed by the literature, the paper discusses potential reasons for this mismatch, including (i) farmers' progression through a different 'pathway' to suicide that is not always preceded by mental illness, and (ii) a failure of current methods to accurately gauge the mental health status of farmers. The paper concludes by recommending more research into farmers' 'pathway' to suicide, and highlights the need for a dedicated and multi-disciplinary programme of methods research that will afford a more culturally appropriate and effective means of understanding mental health in the farming community.

The promotion and development of a thriving fishing industry - that sustains livelihoods whilst sustainably exploiting marine resources - requires the development of social objectives in fisheries policy alongside environmental and economic objectives. In turn, these social objectives must be informed by a strong social science evidence base. Existing evidence is largely economic, with a focus on employment and a number of socio-demographic variables collected to comply with requirements under the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF). While this data has proved a useful starting point, there are significant gaps in understanding of the broader social issues affecting fishing communities. Data that includes socio-psychological measures of fishers, such as attitudes, knowledge, perceptions, values, and motivations driving behaviour, would be a valuable asset for both policy makers and industry stakeholders.\ud \ud Through a combination of desk based reviews and stakeholder consultation via interviews and workshops, the project aimed to understand the extent to which a new social survey of fishers could add value to the existing evidence base and begin to identify areas of consensus on social data needs. Discussions, recognising that fishers are a hard to reach group, explored alternative approaches for implementing a survey, in terms of sampling and data collection strategies. As the project progressed, it became clear that any new social survey is likely to be more successful if designed and deployed collaboratively between government, researchers and fishing stakeholders. Indeed, stakeholders indicated that a survey that is jointly designed, funded and delivered, would achieve better response rates and support from fishers. The project team therefore sought to develop a framework for a co-produced survey that would actively involve a variety of stakeholders from policy makers through to fishers themselves.

Demonstration farms have a long tradition and have proved to be an effective means of supporting farmers in\ud problem solving at the farm level. The new demands of complex and uncertain agricultural systems call for a renewed understanding of the approaches used and the concepts that underpin them, in particular those relating to farmer learning in the demonstration. A multi-faceted demonstration ‘learning system’ creates different contexts or conditions that enable learning. Of these contexts and conditions, structural and functional characteristics provide a good framework for analysis. This review paper aims to identify the key functional characteristics that enable learning in demonstrations. The paper provides a narrative review which presents, and builds on, the state of the art with respect to the main topic – enabling learning in demonstration farms. It draws on a wide body of literature, firstly with respect to theoretical insights into different forms of learning (single and double loop) and social learning processes, and secondly with respect to the factors that enable learning at programme level (e.g. strategies and approaches) and at farm and event level (e.g. mediation techniques). In doing this, it provides the building blocks for analysing the functional characteristics relevant to enabling learning in demonstrations. It concludes by drawing out the links between the demonstration objective, the functional characteristics and different forms and processes of learning. This work is taken from work in the EU H2020 project AgriDemo-F2F project and complements two other papers in this Special issue which examine the structural enabling environment and the cognitive processes of farm level peer-peer learning. An increased understanding of how learning through demonstration can be enabled in an increasingly complex context will help to develop institutions and programmes that aim to foster innovation in sustainable agriculture.

This paper considers the implications of the wider systemic shift from modernity to late modernity, on the process of intergenerational farm transfer. The paper argues that the shift from the collective to the individual, indicative of late modern society, is particularly pertinent in the context of intergenerational transfer, which has long been rooted in collective thinking. Drawing on the perspectives of incumbent farmers and potential successors, the paper utilises results from semi-structured interviews with 29 farmers and 19 potential successors in Devon, England. Using a thematic analysis, the paper provides a nuanced understanding of the impact of the systemic shift and the associated emphasis on the individual on successor identification. Although the paper reaffirms understanding of successor creation as a collective process, determined by factors such as gender and birth order, it also identifies an emergent cohort of younger potential successors, for whom succession was the outcome of an evaluation of farming as a career. It concludes that, within the case study area, modernization is changing the way in which farm children are identifying themselves as ‘the successor’. The paper suggests how this increasingly judicious approach to succession, leaves reproduction of the family farm increasingly vulnerable to negative externalities.

There is growing recognition that agri-food commodity markets are moving increasingly towards market-focused arrangements. In some sectors (e.g. dairy) we have already seen the development of new contracts (e.g. between farmer groups and processors) and various risk management-type strategies. Agricultural markets have always been characterised by uncertainty and contracts are by no means new forms of market practice. Nevertheless, proposed changes to CAP support post-2020 and national-level policy support strategies suggest that agricultural sectors are likely to become more market-orientated in the future, with much less state intervention. There is a need then to understand contracts and other tools and strategies that can enable producers in different sectors to manage market uncertainty and price volatility. Against this context, this paper draws on case study data from three commodities (dairy, arable and fruits) in different European regions to examine and compare strategies emerging to manage uncertainty and other business risks. The analysis adopts a farmer perspective and shows how forms of contractualisation, collective action, the use of market data, futures and other risk management schemes are perceived and in some cases actions at the food chain level. The paper problematises what is meant by ‘strategy’, especially at a farm level, given the multi-level nature of institutional arrangements, which includes complex arrangements between banks and supply chain actors. Understanding strategies as dynamic socio-material properties is therefore essential. http://ifsa.boku.ac.at/cms/fileadmin/Proceeding2018/Theme5_Maye.pdf No ISBN/ISSN ispartof: pages:1-15 ispartof: Farming systems: facing uncertainties and enhancing opportunities pages:1-15 ispartof: 13th European IFSA Symposium location:Chania, Crete date:1 Jul - 5 Jul 2018 status: Published online

The development of values-based supply chains for fish and fish products from fisheries and aquaculture is a strategy to add value to the fish. This benefit refers to the double meaning of ‘value’; premium prices for high-value products and at the same time, the incorporation of environmental, social, cultural or ethical values based on a sustainable use of resources. Although small-scale fish production and fisheries have a long tradition in many regions of the European Union, fishermen and fish farmers face strong competition with industrialized fishery fleets as well as imports from lowcosts aquaculture. At the same time, European consumer surveys prove evidence that a consumers show an overaverage\ud Willingness to Pay (WTP) for fish produced locally and according to sustainability standards. With this paper,\ud we aim to identify and discuss fish farmers’ and fishermen’s strategies ensuring the viability of their businesses by adding value to their fish utilizing this so far often unused market potential. Four case studies serve as the basis for the analysis. The German case studies examined traditional carp pond farming in Franconia and recirculation aquaculture systems in northern Germany. The Italian case studies focus on saline aquaculture (marine and on-shore) in Tuscany\ud and mussel farming (inshore) in the Emilia-Romagna region. The English, Italian and Greek study cases analysed the situation of small-scale coastal fisheries in Cornwall, Tuscany and the Kavala region.

Peer-to-peer approaches seem promising in enhancing sustainable agricultural systems. However, the kind of learning processes that underlie peer learning approaches have not been sufficiently studied in farmer-to-farmer settings. To answer the question how peer learning processes can foster farmer learning for sustainable agriculture, we will develop empirical research tools that can give us more insight into these processes as currently occurring in on-farm demonstration settings. In this explorative paper, we explore the common ground on how to design an integrative framework of effective farmer-to-farmer learning processes at on-farm demonstrations in the light of sustainable agriculture. During the in-depth literature search, we focussed on three main subfields in scientific literature addressing effective learning processes: peer assisted learning (PAL) process model, adult learning theory and education for sustainable development (ESD). We link effective learning processes supported by these three subfields with findings from previous research on farmer-to-farmer practices. The comparison of the three subfields led to a conceptual framework with core interacting effective learning processes defined as engagement, interactive knowledge creation and initiated communication, fostering cognitive conflict and critical reflection. ispartof: International Journal of Agricultural Extension vol:2018 pages:91-103 status: Published online

The transfer of managerial control between generations on the family farm has long been understood as a critical and often problematic phase, with implications for both the individual farm business and more broadly, the sustainability of family farming systems. Drawing on empirical data from interviews with prospective successors and farmers in Devon, England, the article provides a contemporary analysis of the transfer of managerial control on family farms. Although in line with traditional conceptualisations, findings reaffirm how many prospective successors were delegated tasks of increasing responsibility, with limited access to the higher responsibility financial management tasks, an emergent cohort of younger prospective successors enjoyed a contrasting progression towards managerial control, involving varied involvement across all aspects of farm management. With reference to late modernity and the individualisation thesis, the article explores how unconstrained by tradition the emerging cohort described a wealth of off-farm experiences, including what the article terms short-term diversions, which the analysis reveals have informed and shaped their progression towards managerial control. In view of these findings, the article offers an alternative and up-to-date conceptualisation of the transfer of managerial control in the form of the succession matrix, before considering the potential applications and some avenues for future research.

This short article responds to Fischer and Burton's article, ‘Understanding farm succession as socially constructed endogenous cycles’, featured in the last issue of Sociologia Ruralis. Broadly the article commends the concept of ‘socially constructed endogenous cycles’ as a way of conceptualising successor creation, but challenges some of Fischer and Burton's claims, with the aim of stimulating further discussion and research into intergenerational farm transfer. Drawing on a range of empirical research, the article explores the reality of the ‘recruitment crisis’ that Fischer and Burton suggest is occurring, and subsequently asks, is there an optimum level of familial succession? The article continues by exploring some of the other claims made by Fischer and Burton, including the impact of mechanisation on farm children's involvement in farm work, and challenges their suggestion that farmers are currently marginalised in society.

Intergenerational succession is understood as an integral facet of the family farm. The importance of the succession process and more specifically, successor identification, are critically discussed in the context of the widely propagated projections of global population growth and associated demands on the agricultural sector. Having established the merits of successor identification, the article then highlights the absence of the ‘potential successor’ from contemporary research and continues by offering a conceptual framework, capable of bringing this important research subject into focus as an autonomous and valuable actor, which, given the anticipated renaissance in agriculture, is perhaps now, more important than ever.

Brexit poses a significant challenge to the future governance of the UK agri-food sector. Policy decisions that will be made in the next few years will initiate a major new phase of agrarian change and regulation. We are seeing signs of this already in agri-food policy discourse, including scenarios related to food and farming futures post-Brexit. Academic representations of Brexit and agriculture are also mostly futures-orientated. This is important analysis; however, Brexit processes are active now, rather than simply in the future, influencing the lives of farming families, farm employees, food chain actors and local communities. This paper examines how Brexit is being discussed now in two key agricultural sectors: cereals and horticulture. Regional newspaper articles are used to provide initial insights into the ‘present realities’ of Brexit and agriculture, by which we mean how producers, associated food chain actors and the public are engaging with Brexit now in terms of changes they are making to their livelihoods and expectations about future uncertainty in the present day. We conclude by making recommendations for future research to contextualise every-day, lived experiences of Brexit in agri-food governance.

Peer-to-peer approaches seem promising in enhancing sustainable agricultural systems. However, the kind of learning processes that underlie peer learning approaches have not been sufficiently studied in farmer-to-farmer settings. To answer the question how peer learning processes can foster farmer learning for sustainable agriculture, we will develop empirical research tools that can give us more insight into these processes as currently occurring in on-farm demonstration settings. In this explorative paper, we explore the common ground on how to design an integrative framework of effective farmer-to-farmer learning processes at on-farm demonstrations in the light of sustainable agriculture. During the in-depth literature search, we focussed on three main subfields in scientific literature addressing effective learning processes: peer assisted learning (PAL) process model, adult learning theory and education for sustainable development (ESD). We link effective learning processes supported by these three subfields with findings from previous research on farmer-to-farmer practices. The comparison of the three subfields led to a conceptual framework with core interacting effective learning processes defined as engagement, interactive knowledge creation and initiated communication, fostering cognitive conflict and critical reflection.

Demonstration farms have a long tradition and have proved to be an effective means of supporting farmers in problem solving at the farm level. The new demands of complex and uncertain agricultural systems call for a renewed understanding of the approaches used and the concepts that underpin them, in particular those relating to farmer learning in the demonstration. A multi-faceted demonstration ‘learning system’ creates different contexts or conditions that enable learning. Of these contexts and conditions, structural and functional characteristics provide a good framework for analysis. This review paper aims to identify the key functional characteristics that enable learning in demonstrations. The paper provides a narrative review which presents, and builds on, the state of the art with respect to the main topic – enabling learning in demonstration farms. It draws on a wide body of literature, firstly with respect to theoretical insights into different forms of learning (single and double loop) and social learning processes, and secondly with respect to the factors that enable learning at programme level (e.g. strategies and approaches) and at farm and event level (e.g. mediation techniques). In doing this, it provides the building blocks for analysing the functional characteristics relevant to enabling learning in demonstrations. It concludes by drawing out the links between the demonstration objective, the functional characteristics and different forms and processes of learning.&nbsp

Demonstration farms have a long tradition and have proved to be an effective means of supporting farmers in problem solving at the farm level. The new demands of complex and uncertain agricultural systems call for a renewed understanding of the approaches used and the concepts that underpin them, in particular those relating to farmer learning in the demonstration. A multi-faceted demonstration ‘learning system’ creates different contexts or conditions that enable learning. Of these contexts and conditions, structural and functional characteristics provide a good framework for analysis. This review paper aims to identify the key functional characteristics that enable learning in demonstrations. The paper provides a narrative review which presents, and builds on, the state of the art with respect to the main topic – enabling learning in demonstration farms. It draws on a wide body of literature, firstly with respect to theoretical insights into different forms of learning (single and double loop) and social learning processes, and secondly with respect to the factors that enable learning at programme level (e.g. strategies and approaches) and at farm and event level (e.g. mediation techniques). In doing this, it provides the building blocks for analysing the functional characteristics relevant to enabling learning in demonstrations. It concludes by drawing out the links between the demonstration objective, the functional characteristics and different forms and processes of learning.

Peer-to-peer approaches seem promising in enhancing sustainable agricultural systems. However, the kind of learning processes that underlie peer learning approaches have not been sufficiently studied in farmer-to-farmer settings. To answer the question how peer learning processes can foster farmer learning for sustainable agriculture, we will develop empirical research tools that can give us more insight into these processes as currently occurring in on-farm demonstration settings. In this explorative paper, we explore the common ground on how to design an integrative framework of effective farmer-to-farmer learning processes at on-farm demonstrations in the light of sustainable agriculture. During the in-depth literature search, we focussed on three main subfields in scientific literature addressing effective learning processes: peer assisted learning (PAL) process model, adult learning theory and education for sustainable development (ESD). We link effective learning processes supported by these three subfields with findings from previous research on farmer-to-farmer practices. The comparison of the three subfields led to a conceptual framework with core interacting effective learning processes defined as engagement, interactive knowledge creation and initiated communication, fostering cognitive conflict and critical reflection.

This report is part of the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project SUFISA (Sustainable finance for sustainable agriculture and fisheries). The purpose of this report is to investigate the nature of policy requirements and market imperfections, and their implications for the sustainability and resilience of inshore fishing in the county of Cornwall, England and dairy farming in Somerset, England respectively. \ud \ud (H2020-SFS-2014-2;Grant agreement 635577)