Green Care in Agriculture: Health effects, Economics and Policies

"Green care" is the utilisation of agricultural farms - the animals, the plants, the garden, the forest, and the landscape - as a base for promoting human mental and physical health, as well as quality of life, for a variety of client groups. The main objective of the Action is to increase the scientific knowledge on the best practices for implementing green care in agriculture with the aim of improving human mental and physical health and the quality of life. A multidisciplinary scientific effort is essential to develop green services as part of a multifunctional agriculture, as well as providing documentation of its effects on client groups to increase confidence in the health, social and educational sectors. The first conference of the COST Action 866 "Green Care in Agriculture" hosted in Vienna, 20-22 June 2008, focus on aspects for health, economics and policies in Green Care. The main objectives of this conference are to summarize: - The current state of the art of scientific research and evidence and understanding for the Health effects, Economics and Policies of Green Care in Agriculture - To establish a crosscutting collaboration between researchers, and through close involvement of implementing agencies and practitioners. - To identify further activities for COST Action 866 "Green Care in Agriculture". [...](from preface)