With the urgency of climate change beyond question, the real question becomes: how do we move towards regenerative living? And importantly, how do we ensure this transition is just, and doesn’t leave anyone behind? To figure out how the food we plant (and eat) can get us there, we spoke with Beth Cardoso and Valmir Ortega, two social entrepreneurs who are shaping sustainable food systems in Brazil.
Women farmers feed the world
Beth Cardoso, an agro-ecologist by trade, works with women in Brazil to make their labor on family farms visible and remunerated. Unlike men, women tend to grow food in their backyards for their family’s and neighbors’ consumption. Beth realized that taking their contributions out of the shadows was the first necessary step to changing the economic realities (and rigid gender roles) of these families. At the Center for Alternative Technologies, she created what she calls “agroecological logbooks” for women to track their production and transactions. Here’s how it works and why it matters:
Making what’s good for our planet, good for farmers’ income
Similar to Beth, Valmir recognizes that smallholder farmers are leading the way in terms agroecological practices that safeguard our planet’s health. He’s out to make sure these sustainable practices are also good for farmers’ wallets. After years of working in government, he recognized that the missing link for most small and medium sized farmers is access to capital and to markets. He co-founded Conexsus to fill this gap. It’s not enough, he says, to build political power, small producers and agricultural cooperatives also need to build economic power.
A just transition means respecting (bio)diversity
Beth and Valmir’s work are examples of what’s possible. They are building a path towards a just transition, away from monoculture and the inequality it breeds, towards an agricultural model that partners with nature and respects diversity in all its forms.
Rethinking growth
Valmir warns that moving away from monoculture —and the large plantations it requires —means rethinking our concept of scale. Instead of going after the myth of “limitless” growth that gave rise to monocultures , we can mainstream agroecology through relationships — leveraging the power of networks and partnerships.
Consumers play a critical role
Let’s not forget that our eating habits are powerful. We can either choose to eat tomatoes all year long — a feat that can only be achieved through monoculture — or we can adjust our diets to eat seasonal (and local) ingredients. It’s up to us to vote with our stomachs!
Eager for more insights? Learn more about Ashoka’s work on Planet & Climate.