Mayo feels positive impact of 20 years of social farming innovation
SOCIAL Farming Ireland has marked two major milestones: 20 years since the first conversations that sparked the development of social farming in Ireland, and 10 years of national funding for the network from the Department of Agriculture.
More than 200 delegates, including representatives from South West Mayo Development Company, attended the national conference, reflecting the rapid growth and rising demand for social farming across rural and urban communities.
Social farming connects people with animals, plants, nature, and meaningful social engagement - benefits that support farm families, strengthen rural economies, and offer non-clinical, community-based support for disabled people, those with mental ill health, young people, people in the justice system, older people, refugees and many others.
Developed over two decades, the Irish model draws on European best practice and has been adapted to meet Irish needs with full departmental backing.
Social Farming Ireland enables participants to build confidence, improve wellbeing, and experience inclusion through everyday farm activities on ordinary family farms. Farmers are compensated for their time and costs, ensuring the model remains viable and sustainable.
At the conference, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon praised the reach and impact of social farming, highlighting its role in supporting vulnerable groups. He acknowledged farmers' commitment and stated his ambition to see social farming grow.
Network leads Brian Smyth and Helen Doherty emphasised that, despite two decades of progress, the work is only beginning and looks ahead to continued innovation, collaboration, and community impact - building on 20 years of dedication and strong partnerships between farmers, families and advocates, services, communities, local development companies, the Department of Agriculture, HSE, and many other stakeholders.
At the event young people and adults shared powerful testimonies about increased confidence, improved wellbeing, new pathways and a different and better life for them opened through social farming.
One young participant described the experience as 'opening a door,' while another, recovering from mental ill health, said: “There’s not a bottle with medication in it that’s as good as going out to that farm.”
Farmers also spoke about reduced isolation, diversification opportunities, and the shared benefits experienced by both hosts and participants.
Social Farming Ireland is delivered nationally by local development companies through regional hubs. Leitrim Development Company leads in collaboration with South West Mayo Development, West Limerick Resources, and Waterford LEADER Partnership.
South West Mayo Development Company delivers social farming across the west region, covering Mayo, Galway, and Roscommon.
The regional coordinator supports social farmers and works in partnership with Western Care, Corlann (formerly Brothers of Charity), the HSE, IWA, NLN, NUA, Ability West, and a range of other stakeholders. Together, they provide meaningful, person-centred social farming placements that benefit participants through inclusion, skill-building, and community engagement.