Economic benefits of care farming and green care

As well as improving the health and wellbeing of service users, care farming and green care can benefit local and national economies.

This can be directly through providing access to countryside and natural spaces. It can be also through rural economic opportunities and indirectly via societal improvements and cost savings. 

There are relatively few studies that have explored the financial values to the wider benefits of green care. However, existing research shows a clear economic benefit. 

In the UK there have been a number of SROI (Social return on Investment) studies and other types of analysis, but these are generally case studies of sites rather than sectoral evaluations. Social Farms & Gardens has gathered data on the fees and cost of services via our regular ‘state of the sector’ surveys.

What research there is shows us that economic benefits represent excellent value for money through outcomes for service users and those commissioning care farming services, along with farmers and rural economies.

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