Social agriculture
The content on this page was translated automatically.
Social farming combines agricultural production with social and educational work. Agricultural, horticultural and forestry enterprises as well as horticulture and landscaping serve as places for health promotion, for resocialization, as a therapeutically effective setting and as a place of learning for people who are not involved in agriculture. People with mental and psychological disabilities, addicts, prisoners, young people who are tired of school, migrants, the long-term unemployed, people with dementia, schoolchildren, kindergarten children and active senior citizens are target groups of social farming (van Elsen 2016).
In Germany, social farming farms are predominantly organic. "Many helping hands" also enable synergies for the development of biodiversity and the cultural landscape by reviving landscape conservation measures and old cultural techniques such as the use of deciduous hay (van Elsen & Kalisch 2007). Research activities in the field of social farming were triggered by the founding of the Farming for Health working group in the Netherlands in 2004.
Selected publications / lectures
- van Elsen, T. (2022):Establishment of an ecological farm as an own business in the Torgau correctional facility. - Concept commissioned by the Free State of Saxony, 104 p.
- van Elsen, T. with the collaboration of Pauline Reichardt, Sophia Hesse, Annalena Wagner, Lena Franke, Nora Bühler and the Operational Group "Added Value through Social Farming" (2021): Added Value of Social Farming for Agricultural Production. Final report EIP project, Witzenhausen, 99 pp.
- van Elsen, T. (2020): Social farming as ecological inclusion. - In: Bossert, L., Voget-Kleschin, L., Meisch, S. (Eds.): Making it easier to live well with nature. Sufficiency policy for nature conservation. Metropolis-Verlag: 119-131, Marburg.
- van Elsen, T. (2016): Social agriculture. - In: Freyer, B. (ed.): Organic farming. Fundamentals, state of knowledge and challenges. - UTB 4639, Haupt Verlag, Bern: 192-204.
- van Elsen, T. (2013): The research project social farming on organic farms in Germany. - In: Limbrunner, A., van Elsen, T. (eds.): Ground beneath our feet. Green Social Work - Social Agriculture - Social Farming. - Beltz Juventa, Weinheim/Basel, 42-48.
- Limbrunner, A., van Elsen, T. (Eds.) (2013): Ground beneath our feet. Green social work - social farming - social farming. - Beltz Juventa, Weinheim/Basel, 182 pp.
- Kalisch, M., van Elsen, T. (2009): A critical reading from cases and emerging issues: Landscape and environment. - In: Di Iacovo, F., O'Connor, D. (Edit.): Supporting Policies for Social Farming in Europe. Progressing Multifunctionality in Responsive Rural Areas. SoFar project: supporting EU agricultural policies. - Arsia: 135 -140, Florence (Italy).
- Di Iacovo, F., O'Connor, D. (Edit., 2009): Supporting Policies for Social Farming in Europe. Progressing Multifunctionality in Responsive Rural Areas. SoFar project: supporting EU agricultural policies. - Arsia: Florence (Italy).
- Braastad, B. O., Gallis, C., Sempik, J., Senni, S., van Elsen, T. (2007): COST Action 866 "Green Care in Agriculture" - a multi-disciplinary scientific network. - In: Gallis, C. (ed., 2007): Green care in Agriculture: Health effects, Economics and Policies. 1st European COST Action 866 conference. Proceedings (Vienna, Austria), University Studio Press: 13-24, Thessaloniki.
- van Elsen, T., Kalisch, M. (2007): The diversity of care farms and their multifunctionality - contributions and perspectives for nature and landscape development. - In: Gallis, C. (ed., 2007): Green care in Agriculture: Health effects, Economics and Policies. 1st European COST Action 866 conference. Proceedings (Vienna, Austria), University Studio Press: 67-81, Thessaloniki.