Background: As a framework to improve community health, which is health and well-being of people in the community, community organizing is one of the keywords of community-based participatory research in public health sciences. Community organizing is defined as the process by which community groups are helped to identify common problems or change targets, mobilize resources, and develop and implement strategies to reach their collective goals. In agriculture, men have long been at the center of the decision-making process in Japan, but in recent years various women’s groups have been active in this process. The objective of this workshop was to discuss the development of a healthy community with female farmers and support agencies.
Methods: The workshop was held in Saroma town, Okhotsk region, Hokkaido, Japan, on 27 January 2020. 26 members participated; 19 female dairy farmers, and seven civil servants. The workshop consisted of three sections: (1) farm work accidents, (2) suicide prevention measures, and (3) society and health. In each section, a facilitator talked using statics and academic evidence first, followed by a group discussion among the participants. The opinions of each group were shared with all the members.
Results: We summarize the opinions of participants as follows.
(1) How to prevent farm work accidents?
Share information. Workers should often engage in chit chat with their fellow farmers. Routine jobs also need to be reconsidered. Take a break.
(2) What makes it difficult to ask for help in the community?
There are many well-known people in the local hospital, and residents were worried about privacy leaks by them. They are afraid to become the center of local gossip. Driving to hospitals is hard work, whereas it is difficult to ask someone. It is confusing which department of the hospital they should go to. Work-life balance is difficult among family-run farmers. Communication with employed workers that have various backgrounds can be a cause of stress. The members of group activities tend to be fixed, and there are isolated persons. Communication among family members can also be troubled.
(3) How to make the community healthier?
Positive point of the area: beautiful nature. Social supports. A lot of support for raising children. There are many farmers, and it makes possible to plan activities. Negative point of the area: population decline and aging. Less active. Opportunities for gathering are decreasing. Duties of regarding the management of group activity are burdensome. There is an atmosphere that hates new things and changes. To get an understanding of mental illnesses by neighbors is difficult. Medical resources are limited, and access requires a lot of effort. Nothing can be done without a car. Shortage of dairy farming workers and support organizations. Ideas for improving community health: Increase opportunities of gathering. Do workshops with various topics. Intergenerational communication. Community-run bus. A place to get information. An opportunity to hear the opinions of people coming from outside.
Conclusion: This workshop somehow clarified the female farmer’s insights. There are possibilities that information technology can solve some of the problems. Further workshops should be held with participants from various organizations. It is also important to figure out how to include men in discussions on these themes.