In the process of regenerating the land, women are transforming their families’ health, increasing their incomes, and addressing biodiversity loss, water scarcity, pollution, and climate change. Andhra Pradesh (AP) Community Managed Natural Farming, which is backed by the State of AP, is the largest transition to agroecology in the world. Their True Cost Accounting measures social capital: collective action, trust and support, community cohesion (including confronting domestic violence). They are working to make available their effective climate resilient methods to other regions and cultures.

Scaling up internationally is crucial. A care income for all natural farmers would empower such movements, encourage all genders to contribute and to refuse work that pollutes. The subsidies now paid to poison soil, water and air, must be redirected to caring for people and the planet. This must start with the Global South and working-class communities everywhere, especially Indigenous and other people of colour, who are hardest hit by the climate emergency.

Watch our 2024 and 2023 sessions at the Oxford Real Farming Conference.