AKIS actors as ‘accidental counsellors’ in the landscape of support for farmer mental health: a critical framework

Purpose: To evaluate the opportunities and risks of widening the landscapes of support for farmers’ mental health by educating non-expert actors in agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS). Methods: A survey (n = 162) of AKIS actors, including agronomists, contractors, health and safety consultants, and landlords’ agents. Mental health training was offered to 30 landlords’ agents and two contractors, with a pre-training survey (n = 26), a post-training survey (n = 15), and seven follow-up interviews of those trained. Findings: Our paper shows that AKIS actors are not experts in mental health but may act as ‘accidental counsellors’, which, in turn, causes secondary trauma. The ability of AKIS actors to support farmers’ mental health is influenced by knowledge, relationships, and personal norms, community embeddedness, experience and seniority, and sometimes, conflicts of interest. AKIS actors also need support themselves. Practical implications: Our paper illustrates the value of educating AKIS actors to support farmers’ mental health, as well as the support and guidelines these actors need to feel supported themselves. We provide evidence to policy-makers on the limitations of relying on non-experts to support farmers’ mental health. Theoretical implications: Constructs an extensive critical framework that explores the role, opportunities, and risks of AKIS actors performing a support role for farmers’ mental health. Originality/value: Our critical framework brings to the fore previously unidentified issues, such as conflicts of interest and the need to critically evaluate the role of so-called ‘accidental counsellors’.