Mental well-being and adaptation decisions of Mexican farmers following extreme weather events

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Ann-Kathrin Koessler
• Subject Area: Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Policy, Agricultural Sociology ; Empirical Social Research ; Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology ; Economic Policy, Applied Economics
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 527692026

Extreme weather events (EWEs) are projected to increase in severity and frequency in the coming years (IPCC 2021), which will enhance the vulnerability of societies worldwide. Given the general lag in preparedness, experiences of natural disasters will not be preventable, and people will need to develop strategies to cope with them, both materially and psychologically. A particularly vulnerable group are those that rely directly on nature to sustain their livelihoods, such as farmers. In the literature, there has been a focus on the material consequences of EWEs and the associated coping and adaptation strategies, and on the psychological effects, ranging from increased stress levels to severe psychological impairment. The link between these two strands of work, however, remains largely unexplored, despite its relevance. Decision-makers who suffer from high stress and low psychological well-being, have limited capacity to undertake necessary actions and therefore pose a serious threat to the timely adoption of adaptation measures that are needed to build resilience to future EWEs. Through the proposed interdisciplinary research project, we will analyse the entire pathway between how EWEs impact mental well-being and how relevant adaptation decisions are made. By conducting qualitative and quantitative research in Mexican farming communities that are being greatly affected by changing weather conditions, we will examine if and how farmers’ mental well-being and adaptation decision-making are affected by EWE experiences. Based on the derived insights, we will develop and test alleviation mechanisms –– psychological therapeutic approaches and options that are scalable in policy design –– that will reduce the detrimental effects of EWEs on mental well-being, promote adaptation decisions, and help groups, such as agricultural communities, at risk of recurrent EWE exposure to build resilience.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Mexico
• Partner Organisation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Patricia Ortega-Andeane, Ph.D.