Rural Network welcomes Minister Gildernew to Social Farming Seminar In Fermanagh

22/03/2011

The Rural Network NI organised a highly successful seminar on 18th March 2011 to highlight the emerging concept of Social/Care Farming.

Following a warm welcome to the area by Cllr Stephen Huggett (Chairperson of Fermanagh District Council), Minister Gildernew offered a key address during the seminar where she said “Although a relatively new concept in Ireland, social farming is well established across a number of European countries and is promoted as an innovative way to sustain farms and farm incomes as well as improve the range of health and social services in rural areas.

“Farmers interested in developing social farm activities can now avail of potential funding under the farm diversification measure of the Rural Development Programme which will allow the multi-skilled and highly innovative farming community to turn ideas into profitable businesses.

“I would urge farmers and farm families alike to investigate this opportunity and discuss any business ideas they have with their Local Action Group or my Department’s rural Enterprise Advisors.”

Social farming is an activity that utilizes farming and agriculture as a therapeutic tool to provide health, social or educational care services for one, or a range of vulnerable groups of people. This can include those suffering with mental health problems, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and drug/alcohol addiction as well as adults and young people on probation. View Rural Network Factsheet on Social Farming.

Over 60 delegates from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland joined with Rural Network staff to hear of first-hand experience of care farming from John Farr of Rathlane Care farm, Crumlin, who spoke about his experiences developing a care farm facility that is now testing pilot services with a range of social care providers.   Iris Van Zon from Clinks Care Farm in England also delivered an indepth account of her experiences both in Holland and in England. View Case Studies.

Aideen McGloin of the Social Farming Community of Practice Group Ireland and Zita Murphy from DARD Rural Policy Branch provided delegates with an updated position of research findings into the concept and also discussed the European context for Social Farming.  View speaker profiles.

The Questions and Answers session which ended the seminar demonstrated a lot of interest and also highlighted the advantages and challenges associated with the concept.  Feedback from the event has been extremely positive.

Speaker presentations are now available under the Publications Section. 

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