Andhra Pradesh community managed natural farming – a conversation

Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCMF) is a project that aims to shift most of Andhra Pradesh's farmers from conventional to agroecological farming within a decade. With around one million farmers already transitioning, it has a claim to be one of the world's largest agroecological experiments. One of the leading figures in the development of the agroecological movement is Vijay Kumar, the current Executive Vice Chairman of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, the parastatal agency that implements APCMF. In this conversation, he shares his perspectives on the origins of the project, its complex relationships with donor agencies and the department of agriculture in Andhra Pradesh, and the prospects for community managed farming to spur change beyond the farmgate.