Understanding Psychosocial Determinants of Psychological Well-being in Farmers: A Qualitative Study

Description

Page: 1864-1868

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17839193

Ayushi Tyagi¹ and Madhu Jain² (Department of Psychology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan¹ (Department of Psychology, & Former Dean, Faculty of the Sciences, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan²)

Agriculture in India remains a major means of ensuring food, economic development, and employment for millions of Indians. Presently, about 60% of India’s population makes their living either directly or indirectly from agriculture. Even while agricultural businesses no longer control the majority of India’s land, their 17-18% GDP contribution highlights the sector’s fundamental role in the country’s economy. Farmers are the backbone of agriculture in India. This paper explores the psychosocial determinants influencing the psychological well-being of farmers in rural Uttar Pradesh. For the study, qualitative approach was used to explore the factors in relation to the well-being of farmers. For the data collection, purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 farmers (aged 25-65) in rural Uttar Pradesh. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. 8 themes were identified amongst farmers which includes Cognitive and Emotional Coping – Spiritual Anchoring & Meaning, Self-efficacy and Agency, – Mind-Body Practices and Routine, – Economic Insecurity and Resource Scarcity, Labor and environmental vulnerabilities, Family Cohesion and Kinship Support and – Community Engagement and Policy Perceptions. This study highlights how farmers navigate persistent vulnerabilities alongside diverse coping strategies. Participants demonstrated considerable acceptance of their circumstances and reported farming as a compulsion rather than a choice.