Collective autonomy of small-scale farmers and the shared responsibility of transitions to fairer and more just food systems

Small-scale farmers provide essential contributions to society through reciprocal connections to the land and knowledge of sustainable food production, local ecologies, and communities, yet face significant unfair and unjust conditions in existing unsustainable and industrial food systems. Asking 1) How do small-scale farmers lived experiences influence their participation in societal transitions to sustainable food systems and contributions to social and ecological resilience? and 2) How can societal transitions to sustainable food systems be fair and just for small-scale farmers?, we investigated the lived experiences of 24 small-scale farmers across 16 local and ecologically sustainable farms in South-East Queensland and Northern Rivers New South Wales regions of Australia. Demonstrating a largely collective narrative aligning with the growing ‘new peasantry’ movement, these lived experiences reflect participants' environmental and social values, challenges and opportunities, and contributions to the social-ecological resilience to communities. Viewed through the lens of collective autonomy, this research explores how farmers' values, sense of autonomy and empowerment influence their motivations to farm, ability to contribute to social and ecological resilience, cope with challenges, risks and responsibilities, and visions for fairer and more just food systems that value food, land, people and community. Based upon the significant challenges, risks and responsibilities these farmers face, there is need for greater shared responsibility that re-perceives autonomy and participation between individuals, communities, organizations, and governments. These re-perceptions of autonomy and participation via shared responsibility are explored through collective paradigm shifts, Community-Supported Agriculture and Universal Basic Income. • Small-scale farmers provide essential contributions to society but still face unfair and unjust conditions. • We argue that societal transitions to sustainable food systems need to be fairer and more just for small-scale farmers. • We investigate the lived experiences of 24 Australian small-scale farmers and their visions of sustainable food systems. • Collective autonomy explores how these farmers values and sense of autonomy influences their motivations and risks. • Greater shared responsibility is needed via collective paradigm shifts, community-supported agriculture and universal basic income.