Life Satisfaction and Future of Rural Farmers: The Case of Çorum Province Kargı District

Abstract

It is extremely important for the farmers to be satisfied with their profession in order to increase the contribution of agriculture to the country's economy and for the population living in rural areas to obtain a sustainable income. The research was carried out in the villages of Kargı district of Çorum in order to evaluate the life satisfaction and future expectation of the farmers living in rural areas. Research data were collected from 80 farmers selected by random sampling from three villages according to the size of the land. Data were collected in the period of March-April 2023. In data analysis, mostly descriptive statistics were used. According to the research findings, the most important factors that motivate the villagers to live in the countryside are living in their hometown, doing their own business and meeting many of their basic needs. On the other hand, the factors that reduce motivation are the lack of job opportunities in the countryside, the absence of social activities and low income. There is also the view that agriculture is a profession where there is no concept of overtime, natural and economic risks are high, profitability is low, the prestige is not in the position it deserves, and it is full of risks and uncertainties. In order to popularize agriculture with farmers and increase farmer satisfaction, policies should be implemented to increase agricultural incomes by selling farmer's products at value prices and reducing input prices. In particular, there is a need for long-term projects that will make young farmers love agriculture and infrastructure services that will make life easier in rural areas.