FAMILY FARMING
A COMPILATION OF MICRO STORIES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES, COMMISIONED BY DIFFERENT CLIENTS SINCE 2015
Small family groups cultivating modest plots of land.
Does it seem small? Think again. According to the United Nations, family farming accounts for 80% of the world’s food production, involving over 500 million farmers across the globe. Unlike industrial agriculture—where labor is typically hired to work vast areas—family farming takes place on smaller plots, characterized by greater biodiversity, sustainable practices, and a deep connection to the land. In this model, families are the owners, managers, and primary labor force, overseeing everything from production to commercialization.
Below is a compilation of micro stories, photographed by me, featuring farmers and gatherers across South America—captured over different years, in various locations, and commissioned by diverse clients, since 2015.
Quem é Ana Caroline de Lima?
Ana Caroline de Lima é fotógrafa, jornalista, antropóloga e Exploradora da National Geographic, cujo trabalho aborda questões socioambientais, crise climática, bioeconomia, resiliência cultural e conservação ambiental.
GIANTS OF THE FOREST
BRASIL and BOLÍVIA - 2019/2020
BRAZIL NUT HARVEST
Brazil nut trees, known as castanheiras, are among the tallest in the Amazon, reaching up to 40 meters in height.
It takes about 12 months for a seed to germinate. Interestingly, many of these seeds are planted not by people, but by a rodent called the agouti (cotia). This small animal cracks open the tough outer shell, eats some of the nuts, and buries the rest to store for later.
But in the vastness of the forest, not all of them are recovered.
The forgotten seeds eventually sprout, beginning the long life cycle of a castanheira—a tree that can live for up to 500 years.
]SANTA ROSA DEL ABUNÁ, BOLIVIA - MAY 2019
BY THE MOUNTAIN'S SIDE
ECUADOR, 2016
In northern Ecuador, Maria uses fire as an ally.
Before even preparing breakfast, as the first rays of sunlight touch the earth, she steps outside her home in La Quebrada to burn dry twigs, producing smoke. This traditional practice helps protect her crops from the damaging effects of cold frost.
LA QUEBRADA, ECUADOR - 2016
VICTIMS OF THE FIRE
BOLÍVIA - 2019
Curepa, a cowboy from Bolivia, witnessed the farm where he works nearly disappear due to the devastating fires that swept through the country in 2019.
ROBORÉ, BOLIVIA - OCT 2019
AGROECOLOGY
BOLÍVIA - 2019
“Do you see these bushes? We use them to keep bugs away from our crops. That’s why there are no mosquitoes here. It helps us grow organic produce,” says Luis, a local farmer from Charagua, Bolivia.
CHARAGUA, BOLIVIA - MAY 2019
THE QUINOA FARMER
PERU, 2017
In Peru’s Colca Valley, Gabina has already made breakfast for her young son, Pedro. “I keep his uniform neat so mornings are easier,” she says with a smile.
YANQUE, PERU- APRIL 2017
O OURO DA FLORESTA
BOLÍVIA - 2019
Açai berries hold a special place in the Bolivian Amazon. Unlike Brazil nuts, which fall naturally to the ground, harvesting açai requires someone to climb the tall trees to pick the fruit by hand.
SANTA ROSA DEL ABUNÁ, BOLIVIA - MAY 2019
