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Farming for Life Quality and Sustainability: A Literature Review of Green Care Research Trends in Europe

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  • Marina García-Llorente

    (Department of Applied Research and Agricultural Extension, Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), Finca Experimental ‘‘El Encín’’Ctra N-II, Km 38, Madrid 28800, Spain)

  • Radha Rubio-Olivar

    (Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Edificio de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Madrid 28049, Spain)

  • Inés Gutierrez-Briceño

    (Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Edificio de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, Madrid 28049, Spain)

Abstract

Green care is an innovative approach that combines simultaneously caring for people and caring for land through three elements that have not been previously connected: (1) multifunctional agriculture and recognition of the plurality of agricultural system values; (2) social services and health care; and (3) the possibility of strengthening the farming sector and local communities. The current research provides a comprehensive overview of green care in Europe as a scientific discipline through a literature review ( n = 98 studies). According to our results, the Netherlands, the UK, Norway and Sweden followed by Italy have led the scientific studies published in English. Green care research comprises a wide range of perspectives and frameworks (social farming, care farming, nature-based solutions, etc.) with differences in their specificities. Green care studies have mainly focused on measuring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Studies that evaluate its relevance in socio-economic and environmental terms are still limited. According to our results, the most common users studied were people suffering from psychological and mental ill health, while the most common activities were horticulture, animal husbandry and gardening. Finally, we discuss the potential of green care to reconnect people with nature and to diversify the farming sector providing new public services associated with the relational values society obtains from the contact with agricultural systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Marina García-Llorente & Radha Rubio-Olivar & Inés Gutierrez-Briceño, 2018. "Farming for Life Quality and Sustainability: A Literature Review of Green Care Research Trends in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:6:p:1282-:d:152993
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ragnfrid Eline Kogstad & Rita Agdal & Mark Steven Hopfenbeck, 2014. "Narratives of Natural Recovery: Youth Experience of Social Inclusion through Green Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Marina García-Llorente & Cristiano M. Rossignoli & Francesco Di Iacovo & Roberta Moruzzo, 2016. "Social Farming in the Promotion of Social-Ecological Sustainability in Rural and Periurban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-15, November.
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    1. Ebru Alakavuk & Duygu Cinar Umdu, 2023. "Urban Open Therapy Gardens in EU Cities Mission: Izmir Union Park Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Morgana Galardi & Marta De Santis & Roberta Moruzzo & Franco Mutinelli & Laura Contalbrigo, 2021. "Animal Assisted Interventions in the Green Care Framework: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Francesco Basset, 2023. "The Evaluation of Social Farming through Social Return on Investment: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Roberta Moruzzo & Giulia Granai & Caterina De Benedictis & Morgana Galardi & Vincenzina Colosimo & Jacopo Sforzi & Francesco Di Iacovo, 2022. "The Development of Sustainable Social Farming in Italy: A Case Studies Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.

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