Farmers Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Italy | A Love Letter From The Farm

July 17, 2026 Chiara Garini

After eight beautiful, mucky, frustrating, biodiversity-filled and fulfilling years of giving voice to farmers—for who better to narrate the highs and lows of life on the farm?—the much-loved “Letters From The Farm” series is drawing to a close. And so we invite the doyenne of the series, our very first contributor, to guide us into a series of closing reflections. Welcome back to Chiara Garini’s forest garden at the foot of the Italian Alps. […]

‘What fertiliser crisis?’ Meet India’s pioneer movement paving the path to chemical-free farming

July 16, 2026 Natasha Foote

It’s nothing less than an agroecological revolution. And it’s led by women in the Global South, who are creating their own alternatives to toxic dependencies. Natasha Foote sits down with Swati Renduchintala, a researcher with farmer empowerment organisation Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, to understand how Andhra Pradesh’s Natural Farming movement has changed the lives of millions of Indian smallholders, and shows no signs of stopping. […]

NEW publication | Everyday Heroines – Stories Rooted in Rural Resilience

July 16, 2026 ARC

Lovingly curated and launched today, “Everyday Heroines – Stories Rooted in Rural Resilience” is a tribute to the extraordinary strength of women who, every day, fundamentally shape the future of their communities. A joint publication by ARC2020, Polska z Natury Foundation, ZIARNO and the Ecological Folk High School. […]

Germany | Legal win for a collective land purchase makes a couple’s farming dream come true

May 29, 2026 ARC

What began as a small French-fries stand and a desire to grow their own potatoes brought two young farmers into the heart of one of Europe’s most pressing agricultural challenges: access to land. Since founding their organic farm near Münster, David Büchler and Sarah Hoffmann have followed a path familiar to many new entrants, marked by long searches and uncertain opportunities. But a collective purchase model made long-term security possible, after a legal case that finally culminated in a win. By Christine Etienne. […]

Who milks the cows when farmers fall sick?

April 10, 2026 Natasha Foote

Who milks the cows when the farmers fall sick? There is only one answer to that question for most: the farmers, or their families. But it is a very different story in two European countries—and while right now, access to sick leave and holidays is determined by postcode, this could soon start to change. Here, ARC2020’s Natasha Foote digs into how these farm relief services work in practice and what the ingredients for success look like for other countries that want to set up similar services for their farmers. […]

Why Mercosur hits a nerve in rural Poland – for farmers and the environment

February 17, 2026 Igor Tomasz Olech

One month after its signing by Mrs von der Leyen, the EU-Mercosur agreement remains contentious, with the European Parliament scrutinising its legality. In Poland – one of a handful of Member States that voted against the deal – it remains a lightning rod for farmers’ grievances. And it’s not just farmers who are unfairly expected to absorb risks: new research co-authored by Igor Olech for Poland’s Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics spotlights structural loopholes in Mercosur’s sustainability architecture. Igor Olech reports from Poland. […]

Serbia | When Young People and Farmers are Guardians of Soil Health

November 21, 2025 Ladislav Luc

While the impact of the EU’s new Soil Monitoring Law remains to be seen, in Europe’s territories local communities are working on the ground to protect the soil. Ladislav Luc reports from Serbia on a citizen science project that offers an intriguing entry point for farmers and young people to learn about the importance of soil health. […]

Planting Seeds of Quiet Agroecological Resistance in South Africa’s Fields

October 10, 2025 Natasha Foote

A quiet rebellion is taking root in rural South Africa. Led by women armed not with tractors or chemicals, but with seeds, soil, and agroecological knowledge, this movement rejects the export-led farming model that has long dictated what they grow and how they live. This agroecological resistance is feeding bellies and a growing rural resilience, one food garden at a time. Letter from their farms by Natasha Foote. […]

Rural Pact | Stuck in The Loop – Time To Get To Action

September 26, 2025 Hannes Lorenzen

The Rural Pact Conference “From vision to action: Empowering rural areas for the future” took place in Kortrijk, Belgium on 16-17 September. Following this event, ARC2020 president Hannes Lorenzen shares his thoughts on the outlook for European rural policy and rural movements. […]

Crafting the Collective – Tijs Boelens’ Vision for a Farmer-Led Grain Revival

July 4, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

If we want local food systems to thrive, every link in the chain must be nurtured: seeds must be saved, farmers must earn a fair price, processors must adapt their methods—and consumers must be able to afford to buy the final product. Crafting a story and connecting people are centrally important to successfully cultivating biodiversity, as Belgian farmer Tijs Boelens has found out in his work to integrate heritage grains into the supply chain. Portrait by Adèle Pautrat. […]

The Power of Diversity & Community-Managed Natural Farming – The Future of Agriculture Comes From India

June 10, 2025 Benedikt Haerlin

Crop diversification to improve the soil microbiome is key to the approach of the Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) movement. After soil to bread in Portugal, the Seeds4All project continues its exploration of agronomic models rooted in interspecies cooperation as a path to sustainability, with a report from south-eastern India. In March a small Weltacker delegation visited Andhra Pradesh. Benny Haerlin reports. […]

EU Throws The Wolf To The Wolves

June 2, 2025 Oliver Moore

Following votes at both Council and in Parliament, the status of the wolf in Europe is being downgraded from “strictly protected” to “protected”. So what’s happened to conservation of this apex predator – and why? Oliver Moore and Ashley Parsons report. […]

Letter From The Farm | Growing Food, Family, And Community

May 30, 2025 Brindusa Birhala

After a long break, we are happy to be back with Brîndușa Bîrhala on her homestead in the west of Romania, where she has been busy growing and nurturing farm and family. Yet she remains as keen as ever to share agroecological experiences and opportunities. Letter by Brîndușa Bîrhala. […]

Could a Rustic Cow Reshape Local French Food Systems?

March 19, 2025 ARC

At first glance, the Nantaise cow is a relic of the past. A small, sturdy breed once common in western France, it had all but disappeared by the late 20th century. Today, thanks to a growing network of farmers and chefs, the little cow is making a quiet but powerful comeback—proving that small-scale, local production can be a serious and viable alternative to industrial farming. […]

WHES | “We Must Continue” – Determined Farmers & Friends Will March On

January 30, 2025 Claudia Schievelbein

As Germany’s election season plays out, agriculture and environmental issues are notably absent from campaign agendas. Nonetheless, at Berlin’s annual Wir haben es satt protest, farmers and activists marched – without the usual tractors – demanding a food system that protects the climate, nature, animal welfare and rural communities. Hours earlier, the alliance held a final meeting with outgoing Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir. Claudia Schievelbein reports. […]