In this short film, “The Lives of Others”, we learn about farmers in India who are returning to sustainable and cooperative forms of agriculture. This sustainable form of agriculture provides many benefits, including food, steady income, and ecological security.

The farmers are villagers who work in a cooperative system. As a cooperative, when someone needs help, they are welcome to join the collective and help plant the seed and saplings. They also share financially.

Farmers traditionally use a patch of land with many crops. They have moved away from chemical fertilizers. They learned the chemicals killed the soil and worms and insects. By returning to organic forms of fertilizers and pest control, farmers dramatically cut input costs and increase profits. Organic fertilizers, made with organic manure and prepared with cow dung, bring the soil alive and produce higher yields.

ActionAid India supports several thousand farmers and their collectives practicing cooperative and sustainable forms of agriculture.