Mental Health Impacts of Agri-Environmental Schemes: Insights from Agricultural Advisors in France and Ireland

Charlotte Blanc, Donna Oldbury-Thomas and Patrick Morrissey ()
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Charlotte Blanc: Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
Donna Oldbury-Thomas: Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Priory St., Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Patrick Morrissey: Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: Agri-Environmental Schemes (AESs) are widely used policy tools designed to promote environmental sustainability in agriculture. While their ecological and economic impacts have been extensively studied, the social dimension, particularly their effects on farmers’ mental health, remains notably under-researched, despite the central role of social sustainability in broader sustainability frameworks. This study explores how AESs may influence farmer mental health, drawing on qualitative data from 26 semi-structured interviews with professionals involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of AESs in France and Ireland. While some positive effects were reported, such as enhanced self-worth, increased motivation, and reduced social isolation through peer discussion groups, participants also highlighted significant stressors. These included administrative burdens, inspection-related anxiety, and financial uncertainty, which in some cases exacerbated existing psychological distress. Discussion groups emerged as a particularly effective mechanism for fostering social connection and emotional resilience, especially in the Irish context. The findings underscore the need to integrate social indicators, particularly mental health, into the design and evaluation of AESs. Enhancing the social sustainability of these schemes may improve both farmer well-being and scheme uptake, suggesting a more holistic approach to agri-environmental policy is warranted.

Keywords: Agri-Environmental Schemes; farmer mental health; farmer well-being; social sustainability; discussion groups; administrative burden; agricultural policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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