Pope Francis’ encyclicals, Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, represent a powerful call for integral conversion, embracing care for our common home and the building of universal fraternity. Far from being isolated documents, they deeply intersect, offering a holistic vision of a more just and sustainable future. Within this framework of thought, the tool of direct sales through farmers markets and support for family farming emerge as concrete and meaningful practices, capable of embodying the core principles of both encyclicals.
Laudato Si’ warns us against the dominant technocratic paradigm and the logic of discard, which lead to environmental destruction and social exclusion. The encyclical emphasizes the intimate connection between the environmental crisis and the social crisis, inviting us to rediscover an integral ecology that takes into account human and social dimensions. In this context, family farming—often the guardian of traditional knowledge and attentive to biodiversity preservation—presents itself as a virtuous model. It promotes sustainable agricultural practices, reduces environmental impact linked to long-distance transport, and preserves soil fertility for future generations. Farmers markets, as a direct expression of selling agricultural products from the producer’s hands to the consumer, align perfectly with the principles of Laudato Si’. They bypass long agro-food supply chains, reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport and storage. Moreover, they foster a more conscious relationship between producers and consumers, promoting knowledge of the origin and seasonality of products, and combating food waste. Buying directly from small local farmers means supporting a more circular and environmentally respectful economy.
Fratelli Tutti, with its emphasis on fraternity and social friendship, urges us to overcome indifference and build authentic bonds with others, especially the most vulnerable. The encyclical invites us to rethink economic models that generate inequalities and promote a more humane and inclusive economy. In this sense, farmers markets become not only places of commercial exchange but also spaces of encounter and community. They offer small producers—often marginalized by large distribution networks—the opportunity to value their work and gain fair economic recognition. Family farming, in turn, represents a precious social fabric based on solidarity bonds and the intergenerational transmission of skills. Supporting these realities means preserving a fundamental cultural and human heritage, counteracting rural depopulation, and promoting a more balanced development model rooted in the territory.
The connection between Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti is clearly manifested in the recognition of the dignity of every person and their right to dignified work and healthy, accessible food. Farmers markets and family farming contribute to realizing these rights by offering fresh, quality products at fair prices and supporting the work of farmers who often operate with passion and dedication but with limited profit margins. Direct sales through farmers markets and support for family farming are not just alternative commercial practices but represent genuine concrete responses to the calls of Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti. They embody a model of economy that is more sustainable, fair, and fraternal, where care for the earth and human dignity intertwine in a single horizon of hope for the future. Supporting these initiatives means taking a small but significant step toward building that more humane and respectful world that Pope Francis’s encyclicals invite us to dream of and realize.
– Carmelo Troccoli, Director General World Farmers Markets Coalition
