Alix Ritchie
Based in Perthshire on our family upland livestock farm, I've worked in a range of agricultural organisations and am currently Director of Farmstrong Scotland, a charity delivering a wellbeing programme for the farming and crofting community.
On the farm we run a rotational grazing system with 100 suckler cows and 450 ewes and we are taking steps to boost the biodiversity and sustainability of the farm. My career has included roles with Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC), Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) where I have developed a passion for food and farming education, youth development and supporting the people within the agricultural community.
Through my Nuffield Farming Scholarship, I’m exploring social wellbeing in agriculture, a topic I believe is fundamental to the future of our industry. I’m passionate about supporting the people behind the produce and creating space for conversations around wellbeing, connection, and community. My aim is to share stories and practical approaches that can help build a more connected and resilient agricultural workforce.
From Isolation to Integration: Boosting Social Wellbeing in Agricultural Communities
The Farming Community Network
Study Overview
The way we connect with each other within the agriculture community is changing – with fewer people per farming unit, a decline in neighbourly/shared farming and opportunities for informal connection reducing. Added to the other pressures that come with agriculture, these challenges are often intensified by geographic remoteness and reduced time for social connection, often contributing to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
"Groups make us human, and without them our humanity and all that goes with it - is diminished." The New Psychology of Health, C Haslam et al.
This study seeks to explore how we can move from isolation to integration - strengthening the social fabric of agricultural communities to boost social wellbeing, resilience, and sustainability.
I’ll be investigating how farming communities around the world are responding to these challenges through grassroots initiatives, policy interventions, and innovative models of community engagement. Also the role of social identity, leadership, and storytelling in fostering belonging for improved social wellbeing.
While awareness of mental wellbeing is growing, social wellbeing—our sense of belonging and connection—remains under-addressed. I aim is to identify practical, adaptable strategies that can help UK farming communities foster stronger, more connected agricultural networks.