QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE OPINION OF POLISH FARMERS ACCORDING TO THE SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE INCOME SITUATION

Abstract

The aim of the article is to determine the quality of life of farmers depending on their subjective assessment of the income situation. Farmers’ level and quality of life are most often analyzed and assessed based on the situation of households in the survey of household budgets of various groups. The presented research was conducted on 294 farms in 2019 using an interview questionnaire. Based on the obtained data, the quality of life and job satisfaction in agriculture were assessed depending on the subjectively declared assessment of the farm’s income situation. The study determined the level of assessment for specific formulations on a 5-point scale, where 1 meant a very low rating and 5 – a very high rating. Farmers assessed aspects of the quality of life concerning the elements motivating and discouraging agricultural production. Among the elements inducing a farmer to work in agriculture, a relationship was noted between the income situation of farmers and the following phrases: agriculture as a source of livelihood and lifestyle, job satisfaction, and pride in being a producer/breeder. The higher the score in this respect, the more favourable the evaluation of the farm’s income situation. Concerning the discouraging elements, only the dependence of opinions about the excess of European Union standards and regulations on the income situation of farmers was confirmed.

Keywords

• quality of life
• farmers
• income situation
• motivation
• demotivation
• Poland