Part-time farming in the Federal Republic of Germany

Part-time farming is playing a growing role In the agricultural sector's response to changes In the economic structures of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and other western industrialized nations. The implications and fundamental reasons behind this trend have however been largely ignored by agricultural economists. This article sets out to discuss the relative importance of part-time farming in the FRG and the reasons for Its growth. The factors affecting demand for non-agricultural employment by former full-time farmers in a situation of overall underemployment are dealt with, along with the economic implications of this trend. The effects of these new sources of income on the agrarian population are outlined and the author suggests that the growth of part-time farming is yet another indication of the integration of the agricultural sector into the industrial economy.