S12E3 - How Could We? Positively shape landscapes by connecting people, nature and food

In this season of the podcast, we’re asking: How Could We? Transform our food systems so they nourish people and regenerate our planetary systems.

Host Anne-Sophie Garrigou is joined this week by farmer Sheila Darmos from the southern Peloponnese in Greece. Sheila inherited one of Greece's first organic farms - The Southern Lights Farm - and completely reinvented it.

Anne-Sophie is also joined on this episode by Climate KIC’s Laurène Lebelt, who is working on HarvRESt, an EU-funded project testing ways to integrate renewable energy sources into farms.

In this episode, Sheila talks about why she returned to Greece after many years away, how her farm helps tackle ‘ecological and social desertification’ occurring across the Mediterranean, how her farm performs is also an educational site offering community living and why she was keen to create networks connecting regenerative farmers across Greece and Europe.

Laurène outlines what integrated landscape management means, how solar panels, wind turbines, or biogas systems can reshape farming landscapes, diversify farmer incomes, and connect food production with energy transition as well as the importance of bringing diverse stakeholders together, such as farmers, conservationists, energy developers, government and community members.

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This episode was presented and produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anne-Sophie Garrigou⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and co-produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bárbara Mendes-Jorge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Climate KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community. We are here to help create climate-resilient societies and fight the climate breakdown, building better futures for local communities, globally. Check out our website and follow us on LinkedIn.

You can also see how we are supporting farmers’ food futures, find out how to attend the 3rd European Carbon Farming Summit - taking place in Padua, Italy from 17-19 March 2026 - and check out our Green Horizons network dedicated to sustainable agriculture and knowledge exchange.