Woman Farmer Project:
A Digital Commons
Woman
Farmer Project:
A Digital Commons
Women and their labour remain central to agricultural production and our food systems, yet they remain landless, excluded from the legal and institutional structures that define who counts as a farmer in the first place. This multimedia storytelling initiative, led by The Locavore in partnership with the Doc Society Climate Story Kitchen, seeks to broaden the conversation.
The Digital commons is a curated resource of stories, research, films, and organisations, that centres the lives, labour, and knowledge of women who sustain India’s food systems. Explore themes like climate, migration, collective action, health, and culinary practices.
Visual storytelling documenting less visible forms of women’s labour.
In Meghalaya, The Hearth is at The Heart of Seed-keeping
While documenting seed preservation practices within households and community seed banks in the villages of Umsawwar and Nongwah in Meghalaya, Queeneerich Kharmawlong and Ibapdianghun Myria realise that the women doing incredibly important work see it as just an ordinary part of their lives.
Following Women Foragers into the Sal Forests of Madhya Pradesh
For a fleeting window each monsoon, women from the Baiga community venture into the sal forests in the central Indian landscape to gather wild harvest, especially putpura—edible wild mushrooms—that appear for just 15 to 20 days once the rains begin. Kiran Admache and Nidhi K. follow along on a wet July morning, learning about monsoon-foraging rituals as they walk.
“I learned to clean fish from my mother. You have to be careful—the blade must not cut into the fish”
Despite its importance, cleaning fish remains one of the least visible forms of labour in the fisheries economy. Revathi Sunil and Rashmi Sridar document what a day’s work looks like for the women at the Rameshwaram Fish Market in Tamil Nadu.
A glimpse into women’s everyday lives within food systems.
“The heat is just too much! But pineapple and roselle juice sell well”
“Our elders say, if you never put an axe to a mahua tree, it won’t let a person go hungry”
“We have always lived on these islands and gone to sea. How can the state say it does not belong to us?”
Recipes and stories featuring seasonal and hyperlocal ingredients distinct to their respective foodways.
Thirukkai Omathara Kozhmabu
This deeply aromatic curry from coastal Tamil Nadu features stingray.
Meghalaya’s Paddy Fields Hold More Than Just Rice
Randa Papiah, Toy Sumer, and Hunlang Papiah recall their memories of catching dohthli (snakehead fish) in the paddy fields of Meghalaya during the rice harvesting season.
Charota Bhaji
Charota bhaji is often served with pej (corn water), making for a light yet satiating dish.
From panel discussions exploring women farmers’ multiple roles to training sessions preparing storytellers.
Meet the Fellows
Meet our cohort of six fellows—three writer-researchers and three audio-visual storytellers—who spent May to August 2026 reporting on the experiences, labour, and knowledge of woman farmers from Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.
The Future of Seed-Keeping in Meghalaya
Highlighting the key role of women farmers in seed conservation in the face of the climate crisis, this Beyond the Plate session discussed how local communities are coming together in Meghalaya to preserve traditional knowledge and work towards food sovereignty.
How We Trained Our Storytelling Fellows
In preparation for the storytellers’ time on the ground, working with communities, The Locavore hosted five experts across different fields with diverse experiences and skills.
The Woman Farmer Project, a multimedia storytelling initiative led by The Locavore in partnership with the Doc Society Climate Story Kitchen. It aims to build a roadmap for successful collaborations between institutions and innovative grassroots networks who are committed to amplifying climate stories.
The Doc Society supports climate action across the globe by championing independent filmmakers, audio producers, journalists, and artists working alongside impact producers and movement builders to bring more communities into climate conversations to advance climate just and biodiverse futures.