Scale, Diversity, and Inclusion in Agroecology, Organic Farming, and Regenerative Agriculture

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:

-As larger scale adoption and implementation of agroecological, organic, and regenerative agriculture practice and policy is occurring, have efforts been made to include perspectives and recognize contributions from Indigenous peoples and communities of color in meaningful ways? If not, why not, and how can this be remedied?

-How do farm scale and diversification affect the economic viability (e.g. through access to different markets) and inclusivity of agroecological, organic, and regenerative farming in different regions; and what impact does farm scale and diversification have on the demand for labor, farm worker livelihoods, food access, and local economies?

-Can ecological processes central to providing a balance of ecosystem services including biological pest management, soil health, nutrient cycling, and system resilience be effectively maintained across farms of various scales and levels of diversification? What practices and institutional/economic arrangements can increase nutrient retention and recycling at multiple spatial scales (within farms, between farms, between urban and rural areas), and how can reintegration of livestock and feed production in different spatio-temporal arrangements contribute to nutrient recycling and landscape diversity?

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.