June 2026
For more than two decades, LEISA India has served as a respected platform for documenting and sharing grassroots agricultural knowledge across the country. Published by AME Foundation, the magazine has consistently brought forward stories that rarely find space in mainstream agricultural discourse: stories of innovative farmers, indigenous knowledge systems, ecological farming practices, women's collective action, community-led resource management, and sustainable rural livelihoods. Through its carefully curated articles, field experiences and practitioner reflections, LEISA India has created a unique space where farmers, researchers, development professionals, civil society organisations, and policymakers could learn from one another.
In many ways, LEISA India has functioned as more than just a magazine. It has been a repository of lived experiences and local innovations, demonstrating that meaningful agricultural development often emerges from the knowledge and creativity of farming communities themselves. At a time when industrial agriculture dominated much of the public conversation, LEISA India consistently highlighted alternatives rooted in sustainability, resilience, biodiversity conservation, and farmer-centred approaches.
However, the way people access and consume information today is dramatically different from when the magazine first began. The communication landscape has undergone a profound transformation. Printed publications continue to hold value, but increasingly people seek information through smartphones, social media platforms, online videos, podcasts, and digital networks. The rise of Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other digital platforms has fundamentally altered how knowledge is created, shared, and consumed.
Against this backdrop, LEISA India has quietly begun its own digital transition. While retaining its identity as a print publication, it is gradually expanding into the digital communication space, exploring new ways to engage audiences and share knowledge. This evolution is visible through its growing presence on social media, particularly Instagram, where the magazine has begun to reimagine how agroecological knowledge can be communicated in the digital age.
A visit to LEISA India's Instagram page reveals a striking shift in communication style. What was once primarily a quarterly publication has started evolving into a continuous digital storytelling platform. The page features magazine promotions, issue highlights, awareness campaigns, visual post cards, multilingual content, farmer stories, event updates, thematic observances, and short educational reels. The objective appears clear: to take the core ideas of LEISA beyond the confines of printed pages and make them accessible to audiences who increasingly engage through digital media.
This transition is not merely about following a communication trend. Rather, it reflects a growing recognition that valuable knowledge must be present where people are actively seeking information. Today's audiences, particularly younger generations, spend a significant portion of their time online. Students, aspiring researchers, development practitioners, extension workers, rural entrepreneurs, and even many farmers now access information through mobile devices. Social media has become an important gateway to learning, networking, and public engagement.
For organisations working in agriculture and rural development, remaining absent from these spaces can result in reduced visibility and relevance. Even the most insightful field experiences and innovative farming practices risk remaining confined to limited circles if they are not communicated through contemporary channels. LEISA India's digital presence can therefore be seen as an effort to ensure that grassroots knowledge continues to reach wider audiences and remains part of ongoing conversations about agriculture, sustainability, and rural development.
A farmer's innovation documented through a short video can now reach thousands of viewers within days. A successful agroecological practice shared as a visual post can be circulated across multiple states through social media. Students exploring sustainable agriculture can discover relevant content through hashtags and recommendations. Development professionals can engage with field experiences in real time rather than waiting for the next publication cycle. In this sense, digital platforms have the potential to democratize access to knowledge and accelerate the exchange of ideas.
One of the most interesting aspects of this transformation is how LEISA India has adapted its format while preserving its core philosophy. The themes that have historically defined the magazine continue to remain central to its digital communication. Posts frequently highlight agroecological farming practices, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, indigenous knowledge, farmer innovations, seed sovereignty, women's contributions, and community-led initiatives. The content reflects continuity in values even as the medium changes.
What has evolved is the manner in which these ideas are presented. Long-form articles are now complemented by visually engaging graphics. Key insights from magazine issues are condensed into concise digital posts. Important themes are communicated through infographics and awareness campaigns. Reels offer snapshots of field realities and community experiences. Visual storytelling enables information to be absorbed quickly while encouraging users to explore topics further.
As part of its digital outreach efforts, LEISA India has started sharing selected magazine content and language editions through social media platforms. This is an important step towards reaching a broader and more diverse audience across India's farming communities. Looking ahead, LEISA India aims to expand its regional language presence, making agroecological knowledge more accessible to farmers and rural communities in their preferred languages.
While still at an early stage, these digital initiatives are showing promising results. Social media has helped LEISA India connect with audiences beyond its traditional readership, including students, researchers, development practitioners, young professionals, and farming communities. Growing engagement with recent posts highlights the potential of digital platforms to amplify grassroots knowledge and foster wider conversations on sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.
We have engaged our readers with around 150 posts on social media. These are in the form of individual posts, reels and videos. The best performing reel has achieved around 5000 views. By strengthening content recreation, content planning and scheduling, we plan to share knowledge and engage with our readers more intensely.
Another noteworthy aspect is that LEISA India’s social media presence remains mission-driven. Rather than focusing on trends or commercial engagement, the emphasis continues to be on knowledge sharing, public awareness, and amplifying farmers’ voices. Ecological sustainability, community experiences, and local innovations remain at the heart of the content. Digital platforms are viewed not as a replacement for the magazine, but as an additional space to share these stories and ideas.
LEISA India’s shift from printed pages to digital posts reflects the evolving landscape of development communication. While print remains central to its identity, digital platforms offer opportunities to extend its reach and engage wider audiences.
Importantly, this journey is still in its early stages. LEISA India continues to explore how digital media can best support agroecological learning and community engagement. As this effort grows, the support of readers, contributors, partner organisations, and well-wishers will remain invaluable. We invite you to follow LEISA India’s social media platforms, share our content, and help ensure that the knowledge and innovations emerging from farming communities reach and inspire new audiences across the country.
N M Guruprasad and B R Anjana
LEISA India social media team
