In the thought-provoking book, Reaping What She Sows: How Women Are Rebuilding Our Broken Food System, author Nancy Matsumoto unveils the vital role women are playing in revolutionising global food production.
Released on October 30 2025 by Melville House, this insightful read challenges the long-held notion that industrial agriculture is the only viable path forward. Matsumoto argues that after corporate interests prioritised profit over people, it is women who are leading the charge to create more sustainable, equitable, and resilient local and regional food systems.
Matsumoto's reporting takes readers to the heart of this quiet revolution, highlighting diverse stories from female changemakers who have tackled how to sustainably source grain, meat, fish, coffee and originate supply of many more types of food and drink.
We meet ranchers healing the soil through regenerative agriculture, activists fighting against systemic inequality and land loss in rice cooperatives, and Indigenous women pioneering a kelp hatchery on the American East Coast. These narratives illustrate that women are often the guardians of traditional farming knowledge and ecological wisdom, crucial ingredients for building climate resilience. Reaping What She Sows offers more than just inspiration; it serves as a practical blueprint for consumers and communities seeking to eat more ethically, sustainably, and enjoyably. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of our food and the power of grassroots change.
