Farm to Fork

Based on six weeks of independent research, this piece explores what the ‘farm to fork eating’ concept looks like in modern day India. We meet the people spearheading a different way of producing and eating food in a story of education, reconnecting people with their food sources, as well as preserving ancient and indigenous knowledge, flora and fauna to face the challenges of the present. Source material ranges from a cutting-edge concept restaurant in Mumbai by a Noma-trained chef, to the brothers working to re-establish biodiversity in the highlands of Tamil Nadu by growing semi-wild tea, to the all-natural farms growing produce in abundance even at the hottest time of year. Through these stories, we show that rather than being a trend, real farm to fork eating is a reality that we all need to embrace.

The story exists against the backdrop of rural to urban migration, a national diabetes epidemic, widespread environmental damage, a suicide crisis amongst farmers and perpetual fears about the safety of a food system plagued by adulteration and toxicity scandals.

Source material was gathered throughout May and June 2018 in seven locations and includes extensive interviews with ten experts in their field including cheese makers, chocolate makers, farmers and chefs.

- Sonya Carassik Ratty