Research Finds Farmers “Shut Out” from Climate Action by Economic and Social Factors
.jpg)
New research has revealed that the main barriers to sustainable farming practices in Ireland are practical and social rather than ideological.
The studies, carried out by the Agri Mental Health group, a collaboration between TU Dublin and UCD, identified economic pressures and perceived exclusion from policy development as the key challenges preventing farmers from adopting more sustainable practices. Dr Nigel Vahey, a lecturer in psychology and Head of Research for the School of Social Sciences, Law and Education at TU Dublin, is one of the lead researchers involved in the project.
The research involved a scoping review and a series of nationwide focus groups, which highlighted the complex dilemmas farmers face, including strong ties to family farming traditions and long-term concerns about the accuracy and consistency of scientific guidelines.
One focus group participant expressed the frustration many farmers feel about being excluded from the policymaking process:
“It creates a massive level of frustration among farmers when they can see something, and a lot of time farmers are correct on the ground…but the opportunity to feed it back up the line is minimal.”
The review found that up to 60% of farmers do not hold strong views on climate change, with only a small minority explicitly denying its existence. However, the lack of perceived inclusion in policy development has led to uncertainty and confusion about how to remain compliant with changing regulations.
These findings build on earlier research by the Agri Mental Health group, which showed that government policy concerns are the leading source of stress for Irish farmers, with almost one in four farmers at risk of suicide.
While financial pressures vary across different farming practices, the research highlights that many farmers see themselves “as businesspeople first.” As one farmer put it:
“At the end of the day, farming is a business, and to be sustainable in business, you have to be making money.”
Alongside these short-term financial concerns, many farmers take a “wait and see” approach to adopting changes due to uncertainty over scientific advice:
“Up until a few years ago we were educated that Irish farmers were farming in the most sustainable manner there was.”
Another theme to emerge was the emotional challenge of breaking with family traditions. For some, changing long-established practices feels like a betrayal of previous generations.
“There's that feeling there the last two or three years, with the missions or targets that are set, that they seem to be getting the blame for a huge amount of the issues that are there, climate-wise.”
This work forms part of ‘Sow What?’: Connecting Farmers and Policy Makers on Climate Change, a project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project aims to develop tools to improve communication between farmers and policymakers to create more effective climate policies.
For more information on the Agri Mental Health group, visit UCD Agri Mental Health.