Farmstrong Scotland

Farmstrong Scotland is a peer-to-peer wellbeing initiative designed to help farmers, crofters and others in the agricultural community manage the ups and downs of farming and crofting. Combining scientific evidence with real-life stories, the programme encourages participants to share experiences, learn from one another and adopt practical approaches to improving their wellbeing. The programme launched in Scotland in 2024 with support from Movember, RHASS, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and the Scottish Government.

To understand the programme’s reach, effectiveness and impact, Farmstrong commissioned Scotinform to deliver a comprehensive two-year monitoring and evaluation programme. Our role was to provide robust evidence of awareness, engagement and wellbeing outcomes, helping Farmstrong demonstrate impact to funders and stakeholders while informing future development of the programme.

Understanding Audiences and Measuring Impact

The evaluation sought to answer several key questions: How aware are farmers and crofters of Farmstrong? Which activities generate the greatest engagement? What impact is the programme having on wellbeing? And how is Farmstrong perceived by participants and partner organisations?

The research also explored wider wellbeing challenges facing the agricultural sector. Our findings confirmed that wellbeing among farmers and crofters remains below the Scottish national average, highlighting the importance of targeted support and preventative interventions within the industry.

A Mixed-Method Approach

Scotinform designed and delivered a multi-phase evaluation programme over two years. The work included two large-scale quantitative surveys with farmers and crofters, qualitative research with Farmstrong participants and in-depth interviews with stakeholder organisations across Scotland.

Recognising the challenges of engaging the agricultural community on wellbeing issues, we worked closely with Farmstrong to refine and adapt the methodology throughout the project. This included establishing a dedicated Scotinform Advisory Panel comprising farmers and crofters who helped shape the research tools, recruitment approaches and reporting.

To broaden participation, Scotinform combined online surveying with face-to-face fieldwork at agricultural marts and major industry events including AgriScot. This enabled us to reach both people already familiar with Farmstrong and those with little or no prior awareness of the programme.

Alongside quantitative measurement, qualitative consultation with more than fifty farmers and crofters provided a deeper understanding of how participants engage with Farmstrong, the barriers they face and the practical changes they have made as a result of the programme. Depth interviews with nineteen stakeholder organisations helped place Farmstrong within the wider agricultural support landscape and identify opportunities for future collaboration.

Impacts

Our research demonstrated both the need for an organisation working to improve wellbeing in farming and crofting, and established that Farmstrong is effective in delivering change, with 80% of those who had engaged reporting a positive impact and 83% saying that they would recommend the programme to another farmer or crofter.  You can read the full impact report here

“Scotinform delivered far more than an evaluation. From the outset, Helen and Viv invested time in understanding Farmstrong Scotland, our values, our audience and the outcomes we were working towards. As a small charity, it was important to find a partner who not only had strong technical expertise in monitoring and evaluation, but who was also willing to learn about the realities of delivering programmes in the agricultural sector.

Their enthusiasm for the project was evident throughout. They were responsive, approachable and solutions focused, adapting their approach when needed and helping us navigate challenges with confidence. Their problem-solving attitude, attention to detail and commitment to getting the best possible outcome made them a genuine pleasure to work with.

The independent evaluation they produced is robust, credible and comprehensive, providing us with valuable evidence of impact while also identifying opportunities to strengthen and develop our work in the future. The report has become an important tool for demonstrating value to funders, partners and stakeholders, and for shaping the next stage of Farmstrong Scotland’s journey.

Alongside excellent service and outstanding value for money, what stood out most was Scotinform’s commitment to understanding who we are as an organisation. That understanding was not accidental. It came from taking the time to listen, ask the right questions and build a genuine understanding of our work. The result is an evaluation that truly reflects Farmstrong Scotland and the difference the programme is making across Scotland’s farming and crofting communities.”

Alix Richie, Director, Farmstrong Scotland

Why Scotinform?

Scotinform has extensive experience evaluating programmes that deliver social, cultural, environmental and community impact. We understand the challenges of engaging hard-to-reach audiences and designing research approaches that are both rigorous and practical.

For Farmstrong, our value lay in combining robust measurement with a flexible and responsive methodology. We adapted our approach to reflect the realities of the farming and crofting sector, ensuring that the evidence generated was credible, meaningful and actionable. The result was a comprehensive evaluation framework that not only demonstrated impact but also provided clear insights to support Farmstrong’s future growth and development.

The research has given Farmstrong a strong evidence base to support funding, strengthen partnerships and continue building a healthier, more resilient farming and crofting community across Scotland.