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Introduction Agriculture underpins food security while serving as a major source of income, employment, and macroeconomic stability across much of the developing world. But that agriculture is increasingly plagued by the pervasive issue of farmer distress, which is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing economic hardship, psychological suffering, and social adversity. Despite its global relevance, the academic exploration of farmer distress remains fragmented, with limited studies synthesizing the key trends, themes and contributors in this field. Methods This study employs bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape of farmer distress using Dimensions AI, analysing 338 documents issued between 1822 and 2024 following the PRISMA framework. Results The findings reveal a steady increase in research output, with a notable surge in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 1.03%. Co-citation analysis identified distinct thematic clusters such as mental health, suicide prevention, climate change, and agrarian crisis. India is the most cited country, followed by Australia and the USA, whereas the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom dominate overall research output. This reflects a clear research-problem dualism, with farmer distress being more acute in developing countries but predominantly studied in developed contexts. The Keyword analysis highlighted “farmers,” “suicide,” “mental health,” and “risk factors” as dominant themes, with thematic mapping revealing motor themes (agrarian crisis, food security), basic themes (mental health, climate change), and emerging themes (economic crisis, political economy). Discussion The findings underscore the need for more region-specific research in developing regions. The study also identifies suicide prevention and coping strategies as emerging research topics, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and interdisciplinary approaches. This study maps the field’s intellectual structure, which provides crucial insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners seeking to mitigate farmer distress and promote sustainable agricultural practices. The findings underscore the importance of structural reforms, mental health services, and innovative solutions such as alternative livelihood options to address the complex challenges faced by farming communities worldwide.
Roy et al. (Tue,) studied this question.