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Exploring the Drivers of Irrigator Mental Health in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia

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  • Sahar Daghagh Yazd

    (Centre for Global Food and Resources; Faculty of Professions, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

  • Sarah Ann Wheeler

    (Centre for Global Food and Resources; Faculty of Professions, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

  • Alec Zuo

    (Centre for Global Food and Resources; Faculty of Professions, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

Abstract

There has been little work conducted on how landholders’ farm management approaches and financial capital (specifically (i) farm method such as organic farming and (ii) financial profitability) may impact mental health. In particular, there is emerging evidence that an increase in natural farm capital and environmental conditions may improve farmers’ wellbeing. We used a 2015–2016 survey, which randomly sampled 1000 irrigators from the southern Murray–Darling Basin, to model the drivers of irrigators’ psychological distress. Results highlight that worsening financial capital (namely, lower farmland value, higher farm debt, lower percentage of off-farm income, lower productivity change over the past five years, and lower net farm income) was the most statistically significant factor associated with increased irrigator distress. In addition, there was some evidence that being a certified organic irrigator was also associated with lower psychological distress; however, it was only weakly significant in our overall model, with the most significance within the horticultural industry model. Contrary to expectations, drought and water scarcity were not the main drivers of psychological distress in the time-period studied, with their influence seemingly through reducing financial capital as a whole.

Suggested Citation

  • Sahar Daghagh Yazd & Sarah Ann Wheeler & Alec Zuo, 2019. "Exploring the Drivers of Irrigator Mental Health in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:6097-:d:282819
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Michaela Roberts & Kathryn Colley & Margaret Currie & Antonia Eastwood & Kuang-Heng Li & Lisa M. Avery & Lindsay C. Beevers & Isobel Braithwaite & Martin Dallimer & Zoe G. Davies & Helen L. Fisher & C, 2023. "The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-36, March.
    2. Zuo, Alec & Wheeler, Sarah Ann & Xu, Ying, 2022. "Expanders, diversifiers or downsizers? Identifying clusters of irrigators’ water trade and farm management strategies in Australia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    3. Sahar Daghagh Yazd & Sarah Ann Wheeler & Alec Zuo, 2019. "Key Risk Factors Affecting Farmers’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Daghagh Yazd, Sahar & Wheeler, Sarah Ann & Zuo, Alec, 2020. "Understanding the impacts of water scarcity and socio-economic demographics on farmer mental health in the Murray-Darling Basin," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).

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