For more than a century, African American farmers have lost more farms and more land and at a higher rate than their white counterparts. For African Americans who remain on the farm, the decline in farm numbers and land resources has affected farm income and quality of life. This inequality cannot be explained solely by social and economic factors. The researchers undertaking this interdisciplinary research project will conduct a coordinated, intensive, and integrated effort to identify and analyze the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to the decline of the African American farmer and, more importantly, contribute to the social and economic viability of African American farmers. Working with farmers in the Black Belt of central Alabama, the investigators will examine indicators of "success" as defined by human system factors like income, social standing in the community, and case farmer health status as well as natural system factors like soil properties, climate, and land-use suitability to derive knowledge-based integrative models of success. Through this participatory research approach, African American farmers are expected to gain greater insights into the factors that can influence their own survival and success. Results of this research project will include models that new farmers can adopt for successful strategies at the outset and established farmers can adjust for their operations to increase their chances of success. Another set of models should provide information for communities to enable them to predict indicators of success that ultimately can lead to increased farm numbers, an improved land base, and increased quality of life in surrounding communities.
This research team brings together a distinctive combination of social and physical scientists in the disciplines of anthropology, social science, forestry, animal science, agronomy, entomology, plant biotechnology, food science and nutrition, horticulture, plant pathology and microbiology. They will work with cooperative extension personnel and farmers in a coordinated and integrated manner. The project will contribute to the development of research and outreach through participatory linkages bringing together university and local producers to advance the needs of rural agricultural, and in particular, minority agricultural communities. The project will contribute to the development of models that combine human systems and natural systems in an integrated and holistic fashion that can be used for planning and management of new and established farms. Researchers will collaborate with local and national service providers from both state and federal agencies as well as local and regional community-based organizations.
