Advisory Support for Farmer Wellbeing and Climate Change Mitigation
摘要
Farmers, whom in Ireland and worldwide are predominantly self-employed, have a key role to play with climate change mitigation and biodiversity gain but also are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges. This chapter considers approaches currently in place in Ireland to gaining climate change adoption through legislative approaches and advisory service provision. Major farmer occupational mental health challenges include input and product price fluctuations, workload, physical dangers leading to injury, poor health, and disability issues. Both international and Irish research indicates that change associated with climate change issues is increasingly adding to farmer mental health challenges. This chapter describes how the multi-faceted Irish Agricultural Advisory Services, through its trusted engagement with farmers, plays a pivotal role in assisting farmers to adopt climate change mitigation measures and biodiversity gain, while also assisting farmers gain mental health resilience. This chapter indicates how the advisory services provided are research-led with quantifiable measures in place to monitor progress.