Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Category
Social Sciences/Humanities
Abstract/Artist Statement
As family farms face increasing uncertainty due to rural–urban or rural-international migration and expanding non-farm economic opportunities, understanding what drives younger generations to remain in agriculture is critical for the sustainability of rural livelihoods and local food systems. This study examines the factors shaping the next generation’s decision to take over and continue family farming in Northern Chin State, Myanmar – an upland, rural, and predominantly agrarian region. Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 27 smallholder farmers, I interrogate how social expectations, economic realities, and personal aspirations interact to influence farm succession decisions. This study focuses on an under-researched, conflict-affected context, offering insights into how war, displacement, and political instability intersect with traditional succession dynamics. Findings reveal that succession decisions emerge from both internal factors – including source of livelihood and the desire to preserve family legacy – and external forces, particularly the ongoing armed conflict that constrains alternative opportunities, threatens livelihoods, and shapes risk calculations. This study contributes to the literature on intergenerational farming, agrarian change, and rural resilience in Southeast Asia. Findings offer important implications for policymakers, development practitioners, and civil society organizations seeking to design initiatives that support youth engagement, sustainable land stewardship, and the long-term resilience of smallholder agriculture in Myanmar and similar rural contexts across the Global South.
Mentor Name
Margiana Petersen-rockney
Carrying the Fields Forward: Next-Generation Decisions to Sustain Family Farming in Northern Chin State, Myanmar
UC 326
As family farms face increasing uncertainty due to rural–urban or rural-international migration and expanding non-farm economic opportunities, understanding what drives younger generations to remain in agriculture is critical for the sustainability of rural livelihoods and local food systems. This study examines the factors shaping the next generation’s decision to take over and continue family farming in Northern Chin State, Myanmar – an upland, rural, and predominantly agrarian region. Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 27 smallholder farmers, I interrogate how social expectations, economic realities, and personal aspirations interact to influence farm succession decisions. This study focuses on an under-researched, conflict-affected context, offering insights into how war, displacement, and political instability intersect with traditional succession dynamics. Findings reveal that succession decisions emerge from both internal factors – including source of livelihood and the desire to preserve family legacy – and external forces, particularly the ongoing armed conflict that constrains alternative opportunities, threatens livelihoods, and shapes risk calculations. This study contributes to the literature on intergenerational farming, agrarian change, and rural resilience in Southeast Asia. Findings offer important implications for policymakers, development practitioners, and civil society organizations seeking to design initiatives that support youth engagement, sustainable land stewardship, and the long-term resilience of smallholder agriculture in Myanmar and similar rural contexts across the Global South.