Socially involved agriculture in sustainable rural development

Abstract

The subject matter being discussed in the article pertains to the idea of socially involved agriculture (social farming). Socially involved agriculture, involving the introduction of social services to already functioning farms, has been developing since the end of the 20th century in rural areas of virtually all of Europe as a new type of innovative activity. Social farming is an idea combining the multifunctionality of farms with care and health services, as well as social entrepreneurship. The aim of the article is an attempt to outline the essence of social farming and emphasise its role in the sustainable rural development in Poland. To this regard, the study combines theoretical considerations with a description of practical solutions in the country. The article presents objectives of social farming, implemented social services, selected initiatives and forms of their support. One of these forms of support in the field of social care and integration in rural areas is a caring farm, offering services based on its resources and infrastructure, enabling, e.g. agrotherapy. Socially involved agriculture is a chance for farmers to provide new services and thus expand and diversify their activities and a multifunctional role in society. Responsible implementation of additional farm functions will contribute to the implementation of a sustainable rural development model.