About the Programme
FarmConnect is here to help you improve your wellbeing, so you can cope better with the ups and downs of farming life.
Farming in Ireland is a tough job, with unique challenges and pressures facing you every day. That’s why looking after yourself and minding your own wellbeing is so important. Many of the things that crop up are hard to predict or control. How you deal with these situations affects you as a farmer, and your farm. By taking care of YOU, you are taking care of your farm too.
Look into our Toolkit – it is designed to help. It can improve your wellbeing and guide you to other supports, so you can cope better with farming challenges, pressures, and stresses.
FarmConnect is a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Project, co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine through the Rural Development Programme. This innovative pilot programme aims to support farmers in addressing health and wellbeing issues which can severely impact individual farmers and overall farm safety. The project uses innovative solutions and new approaches to deal with farmer health and wellbeing concerns.
The programme will trial in 2022 in Co. Roscommon and Co. Waterford. Using the knowledge and learning outcomes of the pilot phase, FarmConnect aims to offer the programme in other counties and to implement a large-scale National Farmer Health and Wellbeing Programme under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, Rural Development Programme.
An experienced Operational Group oversees the delivery of the FarmConnect Pilot Programme. The group members comprise The Men’s Development Network CLG (lead partner), Teagasc, Mental Health Ireland, University of Limerick, Carlow Institute of Technology, the Irish Cooperatives Society, Farm Advisors, Agricultural Researchers, Agricultural Consultants, Agri-education specialists, and farmer representatives. The Operational Group is actively involved with the project development and implementation of the FarmConnect programme.
The FarmConnect project commenced in October 2021 and is managed by a full-time coordinator Clare Thoma, supported by colleagues from The Men’s Development Network.
The European Innovation Partnership initiative is co-funded by the EU Commission and the Irish Government as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) supports EIP projects located throughout Ireland, involving a range of stakeholders (farmers, advisors, researchers, NGOs etc) working together on common goals.
EIPs are locally-led and focused on finding innovative solutions to a range of farming issues including biodiversity, water, soil, peatlands, farmer health and farm safety.
Click on the link below to see for more information about other EIP projects in Ireland:
https://www.nationalruralnetwork.ie/eip-agri/
Click on the link below to see for more information about other EIP projects in Europe: