Social Farming Ireland, the organisation responsible for developing and expanding the social farming network across Ireland, have recently launched a report on ‘Social Farming & Healthy Ireland’. Social Farming is unique in that it is a form of multifunctional farming and it overlaps with health and social care policy. It does this by providing opportunities for inclusion by supporting people from a range of different backgrounds, including those experiencing mental health issues, people with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities, older people, the long-term unemployed, young people who are at risk, and refugees, among others, to engage with the farming community. Social farming facilitates participants to engage in everyday on-farm activities, which in turn boost their social skills, self-esteem and confidence, as well as allowing them to improve their health and wellbeing by being out and involved in the natural environment.
To read the new report, see – https://www.socialfarmingireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Social-Farming-Healthy-Ireland-Report-2020-web-1.pdf.
Source: NRN
