Social Sciences


Farming resilience: civil society's role in supporting vulnerable rural communities through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

8 March 2021 - 7 March 2022

PI/s in Exeter: Professor Matt Lobley

CI/s in Exeter: Dr Caroline Nye

Research partners: University of Reading (lead) and University of Sheffield

Funding awarded: (total funding of £ 190,000)

Sponsor(s): ESRC UKRI Covid Rapid Response

Project webpage(s)

Farming resilience: civil society's role in supporting vulnerable rural communities through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

About the research

This project looks at the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on farmers' mental health and resilience. Working with farmers and organisations involved in supporting them, the aim is to understand how the spread of the coronavirus has affected agricultural workers and their resilience to mental ill health. It will look at the experiences of farmers and the challenges that farming help charities have faced in providing support.

Farmers and rural communities have been benefiting from the support of charities and civic society organisations during the pandemic. This research will be working with organisations to understand the extent of that support and what barriers they are facing to meeting farmers’ needs.

Led by the University of Reading, the project team also includes researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Sheffield. It is funded by the ESRC as part of UKRI's rapid response to Covid-19.