NEW REPORT PUBLISHED: The human side of farming: Building emotional, economic, and environmental resilience
03/02/2026
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New Nuffield Report Explores the Human Side of Farming
A new Nuffield research report by Zimbabwean scholar Philip Johan Odendaal shines a light on one of agriculture's most urgent yet under-recognised challenges: farmer mental health.
Titled The Human Side of Farming: Building Emotional, Economic, and Environmental Resilience, the report draws on global field research conducted across Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Indonesia and the United States.
While farmers are widely recognised as being on the front line of climate change and market volatility, the report argues that resilience discussions have focused too narrowly on production and environmental outcomes -- often overlooking the emotional and psychological toll carried by farming communities.
The research highlights:
Alarmingly high suicide and depression rates among farmers globally
Cultural stigma and isolation as barriers to seeking support
The need for integrated resilience strategies that combine mental wellbeing, business capability and sustainable farming systems
Rather than positioning farmers as victims, the report identifies practical pathways for strengthening resilience -- from leadership development and risk management to social connection and purpose-driven farming systems.
The report concludes that meaningful change requires a shift in narrative: seeking help must be recognised not as weakness, but as an essential act of resilience.
