A University of Hawaiʻi project called Seeds of Wellbeing that trains farmers to help other farmers with mental health has been recognized for its work.
SOW was recently awarded as an Outstanding Community Mental Health Leader by Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi.
The project was funded by the state through the federal government in 2021 to help local farmers who experience high rates of stress, depression and suicide.
Thao Le, chair and professor at the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, co-authored a 2023 study that found that 35% of Hawaiʻi farmers experience symptoms of mild or severe depression, and nearly 8% had thoughts of suicide.
Le, also SOW’s project director, said its approach is novel because it uses farmers to support other farmers. She said the community-building focus for SOW is a key part.
“Everybody knows they're supposed to floss, but do they floss? Everybody knows they're supposed to get eight hours of sleep," Le said. "We all know this, but we don't do it. So, I wanted to focus more on building relationships and empowering our own farmers and agriculture producers to feel like they can be a support to each other."
The SOW project has trained about 60 so-called “ag mentors” and “ag mental health navigators” in its Hawaiʻi Ag Mental Health Mentorship Program. The training allows them to help other farmers manage and cope with stress, suicide prevention and mental health first aid.
The 10 navigators visit farms as part of their peer support services, Le said.
“People are not going to say they’re struggling half the time, but you can see in other nonverbal cues. So, it's really important to be out there, to develop trust and connection,” she said.
Younger farmers — those under 46 years old — and those of East and Southeast Asian descent have a higher rate of stress and depression, according to the 2023 study.
Their biggest worries appear to revolve around finances and work-life balance, according to the study. It said East and Southeast Asian farmers could be facing greater stress because of cultural “shame and guilt” associated with financial failure, as well as immigration challenges.
