Social Farming Ireland

What Social Farming Ireland does

Social Farming Ireland is a non-profit national coordinating network that arranges short-term placements on family farms for people who use health, social, or disability services, including individuals with intellectual, physical, or mental health needs. Operated under Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG and headquartered in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, it functions as the connective layer between vulnerable participants, host farmers, and referral bodies such as the HSE and Tusla. Its core service is free of charge to participants and is built on a model that uses ordinary farming routines as a therapeutic and social-inclusion activity, rather than on any technology platform.

The organization does not operate a commercial revenue model; instead it is funded primarily through Irish government grants, with documented awards of €400,000 in 2016 and €350,000 in 2017 from public sources, and a competitive tender win from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2025. It works through a network of LEADER companies and regional development companies across Ireland, which act as regional delivery partners and outreach channels for host-farmer recruitment and participant referrals. The network is supported by a lean team of approximately 10 staff, supplemented by regional development managers and partnerships with public bodies.

Recent strategic activity signals a scaling phase: a 2025 DAFM tender extends the national coordination mandate, while 2026 team additions and a promotion strengthen regional capacity, including a South-East Development Manager role. International engagement through Erasmus+ projects extends the network's profile into European rural-social-inclusion work. The 2023 Better Farming Award has reinforced credibility with the farming community and policy stakeholders, supporting continued host-farmer supply and referral pipeline.

Name

Social Farming Ireland

Legal name

Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG

Website

https://socialfarmingireland.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Social Farming Ireland is a non-profit national network that coordinates short-term placements on family farms for people using health, social, or disability services, connecting vulnerable participants with host farmers and HSE referrals across Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO)

Keywords

• Social farming services
• Community-based care
• Disability support programs
• Mental health recovery
• Rural social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Drumshanbo

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded primarily through government programmes including Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funding. The initial network establishment received Cedra fund financing, with ongoing departmental support for network operations and development.
2. LEADER Programme Partnership: Regional development companies including Leitrim Development Company, South West Mayo Development Company, Waterford Leader Partnership, and West Limerick Resources serve as implementing partners for the social farming network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Social Farming Ireland operates a national network that matches people with disabilities, mental health challenges, or those who are unemployed with working family farms, where they participate in day-to-day farm activities as a form of social support. The organization coordinates farmer recruitment, placement matching, training, and ongoing support through a regional hub model delivered with LEADER partner organizations.

Product overview

Social Farming Ireland operates a single unified service offering—the Social Farming Program—which provides social support through farming activities on family farms. The organization does not operate a technology product but rather coordinates a network connecting participants (people with disabilities, mental health issues, unemployed individuals, or youth) with farmers who offer day-to-day farm activities. The service includes farmer registration and placement coordination, annual conferences, regional open days, published research and case studies, video media content, Erasmus+ international projects, newsletters, and educational resources including quick guides. The core offering is the human-centered social farming service, with supplementary publications, events, and training programs that support the main service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Farming Programme The core social farming service offering that connects people who use health and social care services (people with disabilities, those recovering from mental health issues, the unemployed, and youth) with working family farms for inclusion, increased self-esteem, and improved health and well-being through day-to-day farm activities.
• Farm Registration and Placement Service Coordination service that processes farmer registrations through a national office and matches registered farmers with participants who can benefit from farm activities, including administrative processing and ongoing placement support.
• Social Farming National Conference Annual national conference bringing together farmers, health professionals, social care service providers, policymakers, and participants to share research, case studies, and promote the development of social farming across Ireland.
• Regional Open Days and Farm Visits Regularly scheduled regional open days on social farms across Ireland that allow potential participants, their families, service providers, and prospective farmers to visit working placements and learn about the programme directly.
• Erasmus+ International Social Farming Projects European Union funded transnational projects (Agrosocial, SoEngage, SoFar TEAM) that develop and promote social farming practice and policy across European partner countries.
• Leaving Cert Applied Programme Placements Structured social farming placements for secondary school students on the Leaving Cert Applied programme, providing practical farming experience and curriculum-aligned module certification in partnership with schools such as Carrigallen Vocational School.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants report improved confidence, motivation, and social connections through farm participation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2017The data controller and main implementing organization for Social Farming Ireland. Hosts the national support office in Drumshanbo and manages the Border Midlands regional hub.
• South West Mayo Development Company CLGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2017Manages the West regional hub for the social farming network, supporting social farming in counties Mayo and Galway.
• Waterford Leader Partnership CLGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2017Manages the South East regional hub, supporting social farming across Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow, and South Tipperary.
• West Limerick Resources CLGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2017Manages the South West regional hub, supporting social farming in Limerick and surrounding areas.
• HSE (Health Service Executive)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2017Key referral source and policy partner. HSE Disability Services and Mental Health Services engage with social farming as community-based support options aligned with New Directions Policy.
• RTE (RTE One, Nationwide, Radio 1)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing regular coverage of social farming through news segments, documentaries, and radio interviews.
• TeagascminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgricultural development authority that has featured social farming in their Farm Business Options Programme webinar series.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Ireland: National mental health promotion and support charity. Shares the mental health recovery target population with Social Farming Ireland's farm-placement programme but delivers services through traditional training and community-based formats.
• Rehab Group: Large Irish disability and social inclusion organisation delivering training, employment, and health services. Operates in the same participant segments as Social Farming Ireland but as a much broader, multi-service provider.

Direct peers

• Camphill Communities of Ireland: Irish network of intentional communities where people with intellectual disabilities live and work alongside agriculture, crafts, and community life. Closest domestic peer operating farm-based social support for similar participant cohorts.
• Embrace FARM: Irish farm-family support organisation focused on mental health and bereavement in the agricultural community. Comparable target population (rural, farming) with a similar network-coordinated support model.
• Care Farming UK: UK national network that connects farms with health, social care, and education referrals. Direct international analogue to Social Farming Ireland, with a similar farm-host model and regional coordination structure.
• Green Care (Netherlands): Dutch national platform promoting green care farming as a recognised health and social care intervention. Comparable service model — using working farms to deliver care for vulnerable populations — with similar policy-backed funding.

Others

• Irish Rural Link: National membership network representing rural communities in Ireland. Comparable rural-policy and community-development orientation, operating as an advocacy body rather than direct service provider.
• European Green Care Platform: European-level network promoting green care and social farming across member states. Thematically aligned with Social Farming Ireland's Erasmus+ involvement (SoEngage, Agrosocial) and a potential scaling channel.
• LEADER Programme Ireland: EU-funded rural development programme implemented through Local Action Groups in Ireland. Functions as a funding and implementation channel for Social Farming Ireland's regional partners rather than a direct operator.

Emerging players

• Farming for Nature: Irish initiative connecting working farms with environmental and social outcomes. Overlaps with Social Farming Ireland's farm-recruitment funnel and rural-engagement mission but focused on biodiversity rather than direct participant care.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Lairdhse06
• YouTubesocialfarmingireland.ie/resources/social-farming-videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/socialfarmingireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-farming-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/socialfarmingireland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Farming Ireland