Current critiques of regenerative and organic agriculture from Indigenous groups raise important questions about the lack of socio-cultural recognition, inclusion, equity, and land access in the discourse of these movements. Additionally, the paucity
of attention to, and participation of, farm labor in discussions of alternative visions of agriculture is striking, despite such systems often requiring more labor. Clear tensions also exist between the visions of small diverse farms typically promoted in
agroecology and larger scale farming that, under current political-economic conditions, can supply more mainstream markets and reach larger, and lower income, populations. This manifests in arguments of co-optation of certified organic in the US by corporate
interests; in the emergence of alternative labels that exclude industrial-style agriculture; and in agroecologists’ work on “scaling out,” “amplifying,” and massifying.” Yet, organic and regenerative farms exist across gradients of scales and diversification
of farm operations and employ varied economic approaches spanning from local and direct marketing to international trade mediated through certification schemes.
In this Research Topic, we seek interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discussion of issues of scale, diversity, and inclusion within the conceptions and practices of agroecology, organic agriculture, and regenerative agriculture, including explicit attention
to the inclusion and visibility of Indigenous peoples, communities of color, and farm labor in the discourse and practice of these agricultural approaches. We seek contributions that address aspects of these broad questions, and provide some suggested focal
areas below:
In order to encourage a diversity of perspectives, we welcome a variety of manuscript types, including: Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Policy and Practice Reviews, Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, Policy Brief, General Commentary, or Opinion. We particularly invite practitioners, community organizers, nonprofits and other non-academics to contribute Policy and Practice Reviews, Perspectives, Policy Briefs, General Commentary, and Opinion papers.
Keywords: Scale, Indigenous Knowledge, Diversification, Ecosystem Services, Nutrient Cycling, Communities of Color, Food Justice, Alternative Markets
See more online here.