VIJAYAWADA: Two women farmers from the Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) programme are set to represent the State on a prestigious multi-country European tour hosted by the 2000m² Global Field Initiative and leading agroecology institutions. The delegation reflects the core strength of the Natural Farming movement — its farmers.
The representatives are Arika Narasamma, a farmer-scientist from Durubili village in Kurupam mandal, Parvathipuram-Manyam district, and Lalam Jyothi, a community mentor from Santhapalem village in Rambilli mandal, Anakapalle district, who also represents the Indo-German Global Academy for Agroecology Research and Learning. They will be joined by Yarrakonda Sudhakar, senior member of the Science Team, and Swati Renduchintala, Lead – International Cooperation, APCNF.
The delegation will travel across Germany, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, engaging with universities, research institutes, policymakers, organic farmer networks, and civil society platforms.
Key engagements include participation in Biofach, Germany — the world’s leading organic trade fair, academic dialogues with institutions such as Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences, BFH Bern, PIK Potsdam, and Wageningen University, the Weltacker Global Field Conference focusing on women in agriculture, interactions with the European Commission in Brussels, and public forums on climate resilience, food sovereignty, soil microbiome science, and the role of women in agriculture.
At the heart of the visit is the recognition of women farmers as leaders of systemic change. Narasamma and Jyothi will share their experiences of practicing Natural Farming — restoring soil health, reducing input costs, enhancing biodiversity, and strengthening household food and nutritional security.
They will highlight how women under APCNF have evolved from cultivators to decision-makers, community leaders, and farmer-scientists.
The APCNF programme, implemented by Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS), Government of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the largest agroecological transitions in the world. The European tour marks a significant step in deepening global partnerships and positioning Andhra Pradesh as a leading example of climate-resilient, community-managed agriculture.
RySS Executive Vice Chairman and Advisor to the Government of Andhra Pradesh (Agriculture & Cooperation) T. Vijay Kumar said it is a matter of pride that smallholder and tribal women farmers from the state are representing India on international platforms.
He emphasised that farmers are the driving force of the Natural Farming movement, and their leadership on global stages reflects the strength and credibility of the programme. The learnings from this tour are expected to enrich field practices in Andhra Pradesh, strengthen scientific collaborations, and expand international cooperation in sustainable agriculture.