Type of indicators
Qualitative
Relative dimension and aggregated criteria
Social sustainability: Sustainability of social life: Physiological and security needs
Description
This indicator relates to the quality of life of farmers and their families in terms of meeting their physiological needs and security needs when working on the farm. This is measured through perceptions of working hours, workload, risks at work, availability and access to health services, and the financial performance of the farm.
Indicator calculation
Where:
𝑆𝑖 = Farmer response to statement 𝑖
𝑛 = Total amount of statements taken into account for this indicator
Responses to statements are measured on a 5-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree or disagree, agree, and strongly agree. For all statements, the value 1 indicates the highest level of social sustainability, and 5 represents the lowest level. Hence, the order of the 5-point scale depends on the direction of the statements (e.g., negative or positive expected effect on social sustainability).
| Statements
|
Expected effect on social sustainability
|
| 𝑆1: Working on my farm is straining for my physical health. | – |
| S2:
Working on my farm often involves dangerous work situations.
|
– |
| S3:
I feel the financial performance of my farm is good enough, that I do not have to be worried about the economy.
|
+ |
| S4: As a farmer, I experience that both the farm workers here and I have satisfying social welfare and security arrangements. | + |
| S5:
In case of an illness or injury to me, I am confident that I have people who will help me with the farm work.
|
+ |
Unit
Quantitative score, taking values from 1 to 5.
Indicator interpretation
Higher values indicate lower fulfilment of physiological and security needs related to farm work.
Scale definition
Statements taken into account in this indicator and their expected effect on social sustainability are the following:
| Scale | DEXi interpretation | Reference |
| [1; 1.5 ]
|
High | Based on expert opinion
|
| [1.5; 3.5 ]
|
Medium | |
| [3.5; 5]
|
Low |