Impacts of Climate Change on the Agricultural Workforce from the Perspective of Rural Work Psychology

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of climate change on the agricultural workforce in rural Turkey from the perspective of rural work psychology. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 participants engaged in olive cultivation, fruit growing, beekeeping, farming, and livestock production in four villages in the Bayramiç district of Çanakkale. The data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Findings indicate that experiences of working and living in rural areas cluster around two cultural axes—“rural natives” and “urban-to-rural migrants”—and that these axes are shaped by intertwined processes of resilience, adaptation, and transformation. Drought, income instability, indebtedness, rising input costs, migration pressures, and gender inequalities constitute major risks threatening participants’ psychological well-being; in contrast, a strong connection to nature, family-based solidarity, faith, and ethically grounded production practices serve as key protective factors. The study emphasizes that rural work psychology offers an explanatory framework that both highlights the psychosocial needs of vulnerable rural groups and guides policy design centered on agricultural labor within discussions of just transition and climate justice. The results underscore the need for field-based support and accessible mental health services in rural areas.