The Land We Share, the federation’s flagship anniversary book, brings together reporting on farmers and rural life from six continents
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) is marking its 70th anniversary with The Land We Share: Stories of farming from 45 countries in a changing world, a 248-page hardback bringing together reporting from across the federation’s global network.
Launched at the organization’s world congress in Croatia, the book is IFAJ’s flagship anniversary initiative and its first commemorative publication. It celebrates seven decades of agricultural journalism by showing farming through the lives of the people who produce food and the journalists who report on them.
“The Land We Share is a perfect way to celebrate IFAJ’s 70th anniversary,” said Steve Werblow, IFAJ president. “It draws on the talents and knowledge of agricultural journalists across our global network; showcases outstanding writing, photography, and expertise within agriculture; and highlights just how much farmers and agricultural journalists have in common around the world. It is a beautiful example of what our profession and federation are all about.”
A book of farming stories
The contributions are arranged in five themes: Life on the land; Heritage and tradition; Farming under pressure; Innovation and adaptation; and Looking ahead. They explore familiar questions of making a living, coping with uncertainty, caring for land and deciding what to pass on, while giving readers a view of agricultural systems and experiences that may be less familiar.
The range is clear in the stories themselves. From mobile milking in Norway to Indigenous food heritage in Chile, the book follows farmers and journalists across very different landscapes, traditions and technologies.
Highlights include:
- Norway: Marie Hartlevoll follows dairy farmer Britt Lilly Hylland, whose cows move seasonally between farms in the fjords. To keep them milked at both locations, the family transports a milking robot in a 20-foot shipping container.
- Uganda: Williams Moi Arimo meets Agustino Kyabagambi, whose orange-fleshed sweet potatoes provide vitamin A for his family and a steady income. He grows the crop on reclaimed swamp land and sells surplus potatoes and vines for planting.
- Kyrgyzstan: Shaiyrbek Mukaramov profiles gardener Tolubai Jalilov, who is turning rocky, water-scarce land in the Apricot Valley into a 20-hectare orchard. His family spent five years working abroad to help finance the project, which now includes 4,000 apricot and cherry trees.
- India: C. Dominic’s “From Survival to Strength” brings together farmers reshaping their futures in rural India. Biotechnology scientist Lekh Ram Yadav left laboratory work to return to farming and now manages more than 1,250 acres using natural methods; in Arunachal Pradesh, Kolpi Dai turns agricultural waste into vermicompost.
- Romania: Liviu Gordea visits Angus House Farm in Transylvania, where breeder Bogdan Vereș uses strict selection and international genetics to build a performance-driven herd of around 450 cattle.
- Chile: Andrea Bustos introduces Aymara traditional cook and cultural steward Aurora Cayo Baltazar, who is helping recover ancestral foods and pass knowledge to younger generations through a network of Indigenous women in the desert.
- Kenya: Milliam Murigi follows farmer Agnes Kabogoro, whose indigenous vegetables once rotted when buyers failed to come. A women-led solar-drying enterprise now helps her preserve and sell her produce, bringing a more reliable income.
The stories are organised by shared experience rather than geography alone. That editorial structure helps readers see both the differences between farming systems and the concerns that cross borders.
A shared project across the IFAJ network
Compiled and edited by Irish agricultural journalist and editor Rachel Martin, the book brought together an international core team: Michael Godtfredsen (Finland), Melissa Dahlqvist (Sweden), Adalberto Rossi (Argentina), Adrian Bell (UK) and Amy Bowditch (Canada). Journalists, photographers and the wider IFAJ network also contributed. The book was published by IFP Media, printed in Ireland and kindly supported by Alltech.
“Since 2005, Alltech has partnered with IFAJ on the Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award that recognizes the leadership of young members,” said Jenn Norrie, Alltech’s communications manager for North America and Europe.
“Many of the Young Leaders have contributed to The Land We Share, sharing their stories of farming and food with pride and passion, so Alltech was proud to support this impressive collection and the 70th anniversary of IFAJ.”
Commenting on the book’s launch, IFAJ vice president Adalberto Rossi said: “The Land We Share is an excellent demonstration of the work and potential of the community of journalists specializing in agri-business who are brought together within the IFAJ.
“For members, the book offers a chance to read beyond their own beat and discover how colleagues approach unfamiliar subjects. A report on managing water may prompt a question for a local interview; a portrait of a young farmer may suggest another way to cover succession. Those connections give the collection a use beyond commemoration.
“The Land We Share preserves a set of perspectives on farming at this moment in IFAJ’s history, ready to be read, shared and revisited.”
Rachel Martin, editor of the book, added: “From the outset, I wanted this to be a book people would enjoy picking up and reading – whether they were farmers, journalists, policymakers or simply curious about where their food comes from. I also hoped it would introduce readers to the people and professional network behind those stories.
“Bringing together so many talented agricultural journalists and photographers from around the world was an ambitious undertaking, and I am immensely proud of what we have produced. The book has a strong shared identity while giving its many individual voices and perspectives room to be heard.
“There was a great deal of work behind the scenes, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring the book to life, especially to Alltech for its generous support for the project’s editorial independence.
Book details
The Land We Share: Stories of farming from 45 countries in a changing world; 248-page hardback; published by IFP Media in 2026; ISBN 978-1-0668337-1-9.
For book availability, media enquiries or further information, contact: globaloffice@ifaj.org
IFAJ members engrossed in the 70th anniversary book. Photo by Steve Werblow.