Roots in Foreign Soil: A Phenomenological–Thematic Study of Migrant Farmers’ Adaptation, Livelihood, and Identity

Abstract

Migration has become a common livelihood strategy among farmers facing economic insecurity, environmental stress, and limited opportunities in their places of origin. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of migrant farmers in a host farming community, focusing on their reasons for migration, the challenges they encountered during adaptation, the strategies they developed to sustain their livelihood, the ways migration shaped their identity, and the support systems that facilitated or constrained their adjustment. Guided by a phenomenological–thematic approach, the study drew on in depth interviews with migrant farmers and employed Colaizzi informed thematic analysis to capture shared meanings grounded in participants’ narratives.
Findings revealed that migration was primarily driven by survival needs and family responsibility, with farming chosen due to its accessibility and familiarity. Adaptation was shaped by interconnected environmental, economic, and social challenges, including water scarcity, unstable income, debt, language barriers, and emotional isolation. In response, migrant farmers developed adaptive strategies rooted in learning through guidance and experience, endurance, cooperation, and reliance on work relationships. Migration also influenced identity formation, as participants gradually developed a sense of belonging, redefined themselves through work and responsibility, and negotiated their identity over time. Support systems, particularly informal mutual aid and employer based assistance, played a critical but uneven role in facilitating adaptation.
The study concludes that migrant farmers’ adaptation is a cumulative and relational process sustained by endurance, learning, and social engagement rather than immediate stability. By foregrounding migrant farmers’ lived experiences, this research contributes to understanding migration as an ongoing process of negotiating livelihood, identity, and belonging within a specific community context. The findings offer insights relevant to education, community practice, and future research on migration and rural livelihoods.