On May 28, 2024, a meeting was held in Brussels to summarize the work of the Thematic Group on Supporting the Mental Health of Farmers and Farming Communities. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and exchange knowledge on effective strategies for raising awareness about mental health and providing support to farming communities, including support for women.
The main challenges regarding women’s mental health in agriculture are related to identifying the sources of stress and mental health issues, particularly the need to maintain a difficult balance between professional and personal life. Women who run farming operations independently or jointly often do not receive the necessary social support. Moreover, they frequently face a lack of recognition for their contributions to the development of the farm, and feminine values, such as open communication, often contrast with the more masculine values that dominate the agricultural space. For these reasons, women working in agriculture face unique challenges that require tailored mental health support.
Changing this situation will be possible through the implementation of dedicated initiatives, including the creation and support of women-only discussion groups, which will provide a safe space for them to discuss mental health. Tools such as telephone counseling and training projects for both men and women also play an important role. Mental health support requires a broad approach, including training, discussion groups, and legislative changes.
– highlighted Małgorzata Bojańczyk from the Agro Woman initiative.
As participants of the meeting emphasized, women working in agriculture should leverage their unique perspectives and build networks in their communities to support each other in mental health matters and create a positive impact in their surroundings. Collaboration and innovation are essential to meet the diverse needs of women in agriculture.
The most important initiatives supporting women in rural communities include:
- Sharing effective practices among EU countries and building a joint database of best practices for supporting farmers’ mental health.
- Developing online mental health support channels, especially in communities where personal use of specialized support may lead to social ostracism.
- Training in first aid mental health interventions to increase resilience to stress.
- Group workshops for farmers.
- Financial support from local and government administrations, including securing ongoing funding for mental health initiatives.
- Integrating mental health support with agricultural advisory services.
- Training programs for frontline workers to recognize signs of distress.
The goal of the Thematic Group on Supporting the Mental Health of Farmers and Farming Communities is to define the most important, urgent, and achievable objectives for supporting the mental health and well-being of farming communities. The group operates within the European CAP Network, established under the regulation of the European Parliament and Council to support the strategic plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
More information on the group’s work can be found on this website.