article · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Conflict-induced trauma significantly affects agribusiness employees in Southwest Cameroon, leading to psychological distress, absenteeism, and increased labour turnover. This qualitative investigation evaluated whether artificial intelligence mental health chatbots could support worker resilience and stabilise employment in conflict-affected farming areas. Based on interviews and focus groups across four communities, agricultural workers showed positive attitudes towards chatbot technology, viewing it as feasible and acceptable. Key factors supporting potential use included the anonymity and accessibility that digital solutions provide. Conversely, widespread adoption faces hurdles relating to user trust, data privacy, and language barriers. While workers anticipated that digital mental health support could improve their working capacity, testing under controlled trials is required to determine genuine clinical and organisational effectiveness, alongside the development of culturally tailored interfaces and local language support.
Armed conflict destabilises agricultural supply chains by harming the psychological wellbeing and retention of farm workers. Understanding how digital mental health tools are perceived by affected workforces helps organisations design accessible support mechanisms. If user barriers around language and privacy are resolved, digital tools could help sustain livelihoods and maintain vital economic productivity in fragile and conflict-affected agricultural regions.
The findings inform early-stage research into digital health applications tailored for agribusinesses and employers in conflict zones. Potential users include agricultural enterprises seeking workforce support software to mitigate turnover. The technology remains at an exploratory concept stage, as field adoption requires resolving trust and language issues, creating culturally sensitive interfaces, and establishing clinical effectiveness through controlled trials before commercial deployment is viable.
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Abstract This phenomenological study explored the perceived potential of AI-powered mental health chatbots to enhance human capital resilience and mitigate trauma-induced labour turnover among agripreneur workers in Southwest Cameroon. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 participants and two focus group discussions comprising 10 participants in Tiko, Limbe, Muyuka, and Ekona, the study examined workers' lived experiences of conflict-induced trauma and their perceptions of AI-powered mental health interventions. Thematic analysis revealed that conflict-induced trauma manifests as psychological distress, absenteeism, and labour turnover. Participants expressed favourable perceptions regarding the feasibility and acceptability of AI-powered mental health chatbots, citing anonymity and accessibility as key facilitators, while trust, privacy, and language concerns emerged as significant barriers. Participants expressed hope that such interventions could improve their capacity to work, suggesting perceived potential effectiveness in enhancing human capital resilience. The study concludes that AI-powered mental health chatbots represent a promising perceived intervention for addressing trauma-induced labour turnover in conflict-affected agribusiness contexts, though significant barriers to adoption must be addressed. Recommendations include investing in culturally sensitive AI interventions, incorporating local languages, implementing trauma-informed workplace policies, and conducting controlled trials to evaluate actual effectiveness. Keywords: Human Capital Resilience, Agribusiness, AI-Powered Mental Health Chatbots, Trauma-Induced Labour Turnover, Sustainable Livelihood Framework, Anglophone Crisis, Southwest Cameroon
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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22179140
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