Improving farmers' wellbeing through social innovation

Project Information

FARMWELL

Grant agreement ID: 101000797

DOI

10.3030/101000797

Project closed

EC signature date 16 September 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 1 999 726,25

EU contribution

€ 1 999 726,25

Coordinated by

E40 GROUP EUROPAI GAZDASAGI EGYESULES
Hungary

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FARMWELL (Improving farmers' wellbeing through social innovation)

Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

FARMWELL was a Horizon 2020 European Thematic Network that aimed at improving the mental, physical and social wellbeing of farmers. The serious social challenges that farmers are facing today – including (mental) health issues and depression, isolation, physical risks, stress caused by negative societal perceptions and economic pressure, lack of access to basic services, lack of cooperation, challenges of farm succession, gender issues, legal and administrative status of farm workers – call for new and innovative solutions (social innovations). These challenges are important not only for farmers, but our society as a whole (directly impacting also on the sustainability and resilience of rural areas).

FARMWELL aimed to map specific challenges, make solutions / social innovations more accessible to farmers and organsiations supporting farmers, encourage the wider use of solutions through pilot actions, assess impact of solutions (through the method of social return on investment) and develop policy recommendations. More specifically FARMWELL aimed to achieve the following objectives:
1. Facilitate multi-actor exchange and networking at local, national and European levels (with specific focus on farmers, farming organisations and research organisations)
2. Provide synthesis of research and practice on social challenges of farmers and farming families, as well as social innovations.
3. Present and make accessible social innovation research and practices to farmers with a view to their specific needs.
4. Ensure the long-term sustainability of results through effective exploitation and dissemination.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first period:
- WP 1 & WP2: The ‘mapping of challenges’ has been carried out, including multi-actor exchanges so called Practice Group meetings) to identify the most relevant challenges. The outcomes have been the draft and final mapping reports for the 6 partner countries and synthesis report at the European level. The final versions of the reports have been shared and promoted publicly and also discussed at the 1st European Thematic Network meeting (28 Oct 2022). An inspiring animation film on the challenges of farmers (Farm Well: A story about farm life today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=2XL9uvmEgMw&feature=emb_logo) has been created and presented to generate discussions about the challenges. The second set of Practice Group meetings and the 2nd ETN meeting (on 7-8 Jun 2022) focused on identifying, presenting and discussing inspiring and effective solutions (social innovations).
- WP3: Social innovation practices have been made accessible through various channels and platforms, including events, social media and – most importantly – the searchable FARMWELL Social Innovations Database (3.2): https://farmwell-h2020.eu/social-innovations/ that was continuously enhanced with new examples. The first set of some 39 Practice Abstracts has been submitted.
- WP 4: Parallel to this process, the planning of the cost-benefit analysis of social innovations has started through the social return on investment (SROI) methodology. The preparation involved training for partners (and one-to-one consultations) on the SROI method and agreeing the most relevant examples to be assessed.
- WP 5: During the first half of the FARMWELL project the planning of communication, dissemination and exploitation of results have started based on the Communication, dissemination and exploitation plan through key platforms (FARMWELL website and social media accounts) the promotion of the FARMWELL outcomes have started (and gradually intensified).

During the second period:
- WP1: Pilot actions (Task 1.2) were implemented in each partner country with the aim to bring good practices closer to farmers. The 3rd ETN meeting was organised in Hungary (Budapest) in January 2023.
- WP3: Social Innovations Database has been extended with further examples (42 examples) in a more elaborated and visually accessible way. Six tailor-made short documentaries on social innovations were developed in the partner countries in collaboration between national partners and creative partner New Heroes: https://farmwell-h2020.eu/work-strands/social-innovations/.
- WP4: One-to-one guidance sessions were organised between UGLOS and partners. Partners carried out a detailed SROI process for social innovation practices. As a final result, an SROI Data Analysis Report and Guidance have been developed (https://farmwell-h2020.eu/work-strands/social-impact/) as well as a dedicated SROI chapter was included in the 12 case studies.
- WP5 aimed to ensure effective dissemination, communication and long-term sustainability of project results through developing a a practical “toolbox” and policy factsheet with a focus on policymakers. Ongoing dissemination was also carried out through the FARMWELL Twitter and Facebook accounts. The Final Conference held on 12-13 December 2023 was concluding the dissemination efforts of the project.
- WP6 ensured effective management and coordination and timely implementation of FARMWELL across all WPs and partners, including regular partner meeting and exchanges, operational and financial management, progress reporting, conflict and risk management. Regular partner meetings and Coordination Group meetings took place.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

FARMWELL is concerned with the highly pressing challenge of addressing farmers’ wellbeing through social innovation. The project is going beyond the state-of-the-art in a number of ways.

Firstly, it has gone more in depth in the analysis of specific social challenges in farming – drawing attention to these among relevant stakeholders within the partnership and beyond – and focused on a specific challenge in each country (rather than addressing the theme in general).

Secondly, farming organisations and research organisations were involved and work closely together in each of the target partner countries. Through these multi-actor national partnerships, (farming & research) perspectives were often being ‘confronted’, resulting in mutual learning.

Thirdly, social innovations in farming are often focusing on how to ensure positive ‘societal impact’ through improved farming practices. However, social innovation in FARMWELL focused on the social impact on farmers, farming family and farming community (with the ultimate aim of improving their wellbeing). Social innovation examples were identified with the aim of distilling the wellbeing impact on farmers (including the use of the Social Return on Investment method to capture social impact in a quantifiable way).

Fourthly, FARMWELL experimented with a range of innovative and creative communication tools, such as the short documentaries and animation film and the 'theatre performance' on farmers' challenges. It also aimed made its events highly interactive and engaging.

Finally, lessons from FARMWELL are expected to contribute not only to the improved wellbeing of farmers, but also improved policies and institutional practices. Among others, its relevance has been highlighted in the work of the SCAR-AKIS Working Group, the EU’s Agricultural Outlook Conference, are of interest for future planning of the CAP (including social conditionality) as well as for improved institutional practices (with focus on farmers' organisations advisory services).

FARMWELL Partnership