The concept of degrowth calls for a fair and planned reduction of excessive production and consumption, especially in wealthy countries, to improve wellbeing, reduce inequality and protect the environment. How can these objectives be applied practically to transforming food systems, and what does this mean for farmers? There is growing recognition that degrowth and agroecology need further integration – not just as aligned critiques of the current system but as active co-creators of a fundamentally different vision of prosperity.

Through the Amplifying Stories of Agroecology Principles and Practices (ASAPP) project, led by the Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative (SIANI), we met with Tammi Jonas – a farmer, meatsmith and activist – to document how agroecology and degrowth principles intersect at Jonai Farms and Meatsmiths. Located on unceded Dja Dja Wurrung country in Australia, the family-run farm is stewarded by Tammi, her partner Stuart and their children. Together, they raise large black pigs, dairy short-horn cattle, and chickens, and cultivates diverse crops on 28.5 hectares of land.

A recent ASAPP publication maps out how practices at Jonai Farms align with the HLPE’s 13 Principles of Agroecology, which guide transformations across field, farm and food system dimensions. These principles resonate strongly with the degrowth paradigm, yet the specifics of their practical integration require clearer articulation. More importantly, applying agroecological principles without addressing deeper structural issues – economic pressures, inequitable land access and policy gaps – risks placing unrealistic burdens on farmers. This can lead to self-exploitation due to increased labour demands and insufficient recognition or compensation for their broader contributions to ecosystems, communities and the overall resilience of society.

To grasp these structural challenges concretely, Jonai Farms provides a valuable case study. Here, degrowth objectives like land justice, resistance to commodification, economic relocalization and community-based food sovereignty are more than abstract principles – they are lived commitments that embody the Jonai vision: “savouring the world while saving it.”

Land justice and shared stewardship

At Jonai Farms, a profound commitment to land justice shapes their approach. Recognizing their presence on sovereign Indigenous Djaara Country, they embrace a decolonial ethic of care and reciprocity. Through a rent-free land-sharing agreement with Tumpinyeri Growers, they co-steward the land, redistributing access and fostering collective autonomy. This partnership extends beyond shared labour and infrastructure to include a local barter economy – vegetables exchanged for meat, manure traded for soil fertility – forming a mutualistic system rooted in agroecological principles.

The Jonai family’s work exemplifies a broader effort to bridge Indigenous and non-Indigenous practices within a post-colonial framework, centring ecological health and relational accountability.

Localizing economies, redistributing power

Jonai Farms is deeply committed to re-localizing food economies and breaking dependence on industrial supply chains. Through community-funded projects – including a farm-scale butcher’s shop, curing room and commercial kitchen – they have reclaimed control over food processing and distribution, directly challenging corporate concentration of power in Australia’s meat industry.

The farm’s on-site abattoir enables them to uphold ethical standards throughout the entire  production chain, centring animal welfare in ways that industrial facilities cannot. This autonomy supports a zero-waste, nose-to-tail production model that rejects extractive, wasteful practices and celebrates diverse, place-based food cultures.

Crucially, Jonai Farms does not operate in isolation. Knowledge is shared, not hoarded. Tammi and Stuart support other small-scale farmers navigating complex licensing, infrastructure and regulatory barriers – systemic hurdles that often marginalize smallholders. In doing so, the farm strengthens not only local economic resilience, but also a growing movement shaping the foundation of a post-growth food system.

Food sovereignty, networks and cooperatives

Beyond the farm, Tammi plays a vital role in advancing food sovereignty through her leadership in the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA). She helps build farmers’ capacity for participation, self-determination and autonomy.

At Jonai Farms, she facilitates free agroecology dialogues that foster mutual learning among local farmers, particularly those transitioning toward agroecological practices. These cooperative networks address a major structural challenge: the knowledge burden placed on individual farmers to master complex ecological systems while navigating hostile regulatory environments.

By creating spaces for collective learning and shared problem-solving, these initiatives distribute the intellectual and emotional labour of transition. Jonai Farms also participates in the Agroecology Roadshow, an AFSA initiative that brings agroecology into public discourse. Through these efforts, Tammi and her farm are expanding cooperative networks and advancing Australia’s food sovereignty movement.

Jonai Farms demonstrates that integrating degrowth objectives with agroecological principles can drive systemic transformation – advancing a food system that prioritizes ecological health, social equity and community resilience. As Tammi puts it: “Degrowth assures frugal abundance for our farm community and radical sufficiency for all. We are constantly working to ensure that our “enough” leaves enough for everyone else on the planet.”

The solutions needed for a post-growth food system are not speculative or abstract – they are already being implemented by farmers like Tammi and Stuart. The real challenge is not inventing new ways forward, but removing the entrenched barriers – skewed subsidies, regulatory hurdles, centralized supply chains and an economic system that values extraction over regeneration – that hold these alternatives back. By recognizing and supporting these transformative efforts, we can foster a more equitable and resilient food system that serves both people and the planet.

Moving forward

Building on these insights, SIANI is co-hosting a session at the ISEE Degrowth Conference in Oslo on 25 June “From Principles to Practice: Envisioning Post-Growth Food Systems through Agroecology” will explore how agroecology can serve as a transformative pathway to equitable and sustainable food systems in a post-growth context. Participants will learn from Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm as a real-world example and take part in an interactive scenario workshop to design actionable strategies for food system transformation.