Lauding what he described as the “brilliant” FarmConnect health and well-being programme, Waterford-based Liam Brazil is urging farmers to sign up for its second rollout from the middle of this month.
The well-known mental health advocate is convinced that the course, which is designed especially for those working in the agriculture sector, can make a lasting positive impact on both farmers and farm workers.
The Grawn, Kilmacthomas man took part in the FarmConnect programme, which is being piloted in counties Waterford and Roscommon, during October and November, and was highly impressed.
“I thought it was a brilliant course; very simple, but powerful,” he said.
“The facilitators were excellent, very informed and easy to listen to and learn from. The fact there was a full attendance each night speaks volumes.”
As an agribusiness branch manager in Durrow and a county councillor, Liam knows the taxing realities of farm life. He believes that the practical tips and advice that FarmConnect provides can boost people’s physical and mental health, and farm safety levels.
Health and well-being
The course includes expert inputs about well-being, stress management, nutrition, mental health awareness, and sleep.
Very much open to women as well as men, the course is ideal not just for farmers but also for people working on farms, Liam said.
“A farmer or an employee mightn’t realise it, but they are taking risks the whole time. You really need your wits about you around machinery, bulls, buildings, pits, and in other situations,” he said.
“One slip and you can be in right trouble, and in the event of an accident, you could be left lying there for the whole day, or worse.”
In terms of well-being, a farmer’s life can be mundane, Liam contended.
“More often than not, you’re on your own all day. It can affect your mood and mental health. And isolation is a big thing,” he said.
“There are bachelor farmers living a mile up boreens out in the country. You could be missing a week and people mightn’t even know, especially in the darker months when people aren’t out and about as much.”
As well as the constant pressure to expand and invest, and the costs of plant, machinery and inputs, Liam cited the added mental energy expenditure associated with modern farming.
“The farmer does his or her day’s work on the farm. Then they must go in and do their paperwork for the department, and then go shop online that night, making sure they order everything right, and sorting the deliveries and all that,” he explained.
“Trying to fit all that into a day must take its toll. It’s all stress on the brain.
“Unfortunately, most farmers don’t see the bigger picture, driving themselves into the ground to meet targets and ‘keep up with the Joneses’.
“There’s only so much land there and they’re not making any more of it,” Liam said.
“It’s very important for the farmer to mind themselves. If he or she gets sick in the morning, the whole thing grinds to a halt. It’s so important to look after your own health and well-being.
Farmers need to take a step back and think about what they’re doing. When you get sick in the morning it’s too late then to be thinking about it.”
FarmConnect
A European Innovation Partnership (EIP-Agri) project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine and the EU’s Rural Development Programme, FarmConnect is being road-tested in two counties with contrasting agri profiles.
It was launched last autumn by Minister of State, Martin Heydon, who referred to an inextricable link between the physical and mental well-being of farmers and farm safety.
Clare Thoma, who oversees FarmConnect for lead partner, Waterford-based Men’s Development Network, said that the aim is to give farmers practical tips and strategies to improve their well-being which will help them to live and work both productively and safely.
Liam Brazil said that the programme does exactly that.
While participants receive a €150 voucher on completion, the real benefits are longterm, he contended.
“Just to sit back for that two hours and recognise what could happen if you don’t look after yourself, even something as simple as getting enough sleep,” he said.
“The effect that fatigue can have as the day draws on, and how it can lead to accidents and injuries,” he continued.
“So I would highly recommend this programme to anyone. I found it fantastic.
“There were an awful lot of farm accidents last year and I’m convinced that many of them could have been prevented had people had the benefit of this course.
“It’s only 12 hours over six nights (from 8:00-10:00p.m) – a small commitment for better personal health and peace of mind.”
In Waterford, participants can do the programme in either the Multi-Education Centre in Dunhill Ecopark (Mondays from January 16) or Lawlor’s Hotel, Dungarvan (Tuesdays from January 17.)
In Roscommon, where feedback from farmers has been equally positive, the venues for the second rollout are Rathcroghan old school on Mondays (from January 16) and St. Ronan’s Hall, Keadue on Tuesdays (from January 17).