Promoting mental health for farmers in Hawai‘i wins award from the community
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Submitted by University of Hawaii
Nearly 50% of farmers in Hawai'i under the age of 46 have suffered from experiences of depression, and nearly 14% with suicidal thoughts, according to a study published in 2023 by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). Agriculture is a high-stress enterprise with lots of risks and uncertainties, including volatile markets, fluctuating weather, invasive species and other stressors that agriculture producers must contend with on a daily and seasonal basis.
Due to high rates of stress, depression and suicide among this demographic, CTAHR developed Seeds of Wellbeing (SOW) with original funding support from the Hawai'i Department of Agriculture/USDA-NIFA in fall 2021 to promote better mental health for those who work in the agriculture industry. SOW provides workshops and educational materials in multiple languages to equip individuals with practical skills for managing stress and promoting mental well-being. SOW also conducts cutting-edge research, producing podcasts that have garnered more than 2,000 downloads, and 1,000 Instagram followers.
For its efforts, SOW was honored with the Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader award by Mental Health America Hawai'i in May.
"This award validates our dedication and commitment to promoting mental health awareness and support within Hawai'i's agricultural communities," said Thao Le, CTAHR professor and chair of the Family Consumer Sciences department, and SOW director. "This recognition highlights the effectiveness of our initiatives from the community in addressing mental health challenges and fostering resilience for our farmers and ranchers."