Changes in farming systems worldwide, such as automation, mechanization, and agroecological transitions, raise issues related to work in agriculture. Several scientific communities have explored dimensions of work in agriculture, including labor productivity, employment, occupational health, and skills. However, this topic has been little explored in systemic agronomy, where work is understood as the interaction between workers and activities within cropping or farming systems. Work is commonly measured with economic indicators (time, cost, and productivity) that do not provide sufficient information for agronomists aiming to support farmers through the production of actionable knowledge. A better understanding of the different dimensions of work (such as organization, duration, and working conditions) and their repercussions on the management of technical systems (cropping system, farming system) is needed to support farmers’ decision making. With the aim to propose a framework that agronomists can apply to analyze work in agriculture, this article reviews existing approaches from agronomy, livestock farming system research, and economic and social sciences. The proposed framework connects technical systems (cropping and farming systems) with the humans doing the work (farm managers, farm workers). It emphasizes the link between workers and the tasks they perform, which in turn shape a larger technical system and its features, on which agronomists aim at acting. It seeks to integrate multiple dimensions and scales, and to broaden the focus away from farm managers to include all types of farm workers. This framework can be used to identify further research areas on the topic of work in agriculture, with the examples of automation and motorization, as well as agroecological transitions. It can also provide guidance for agronomic diagnoses, design processes, or evaluations. A clear positioning on the topic of work in systemic agronomy is crucial to support farmers as they navigate through major system transitions.
Bakker, T. Tackling the question of work in systemic agronomy. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 72 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-025-01063-w