A conversation with Sheila Darmos, co-founder of the Southern Lights, based in the southern Peloponnese, Greece with the mission is to spread knowledge, techniques, and the mindset for regenerative practices across all domains of human activity. Sheila is also a co-founding farmer of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) and serves as an EU Soil Mission Ambassador.

A question we get very often is: which place or country is leading the regenerative movement? It’s obviously a very complex question to answer, but after talking to Sheila, our answer might be Greece. Having battled numerous economic and non- economic crises, it seems that those who have stayed don’t have much to lose. There is a strong back-to-the-land movement, well-organized local organizations helping farmers and land stewards’ transition, and people who want to return to the land more easily.

Perhaps the fact that 10% of the workforce is still active in agriculture helps, along with Greece’s long history of farming without fully going down the super-mechanized, industrial, extractive path. The rural-urban divide is very real and it’s not easy at all, but maybe farming and food are the way to break down those barriers.

WHY GREECE IS LEADING IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

Greece’s high density of small-scale farmers and strong grassroots organisation create fertile ground for regenerative practices. Greece has unique agricultural demographics and community-driven markets.
At the heart of the Greek regenerative movement lies the concept of reconnection—between farmers and consumers, between urban and rural communities, between people and soil. This reconnection addresses what some call “nature deficit disorder,” the disconnection that enables environmental harm. The most successful transitions happen when trustworthy relationships form throughout the food system, particularly when food businesses adapt to what farms can sustainably produce rather than demanding standardized products.

“In Greece we have about 10 million people in the total population, and about 1.1 million are still working in the farming sector, which is a very big percentage. And we are quite organised. I would say also the true organic movement. There are a lot of farmers’ markets that are organised independently organised, let’s say.” Sheila Darmos

INVESTORS SHOULD INVEST OR REGENERATE IN THEIR BIOREGION FIRST

Localised investment fosters trust and tangible impact, avoiding the pitfalls of extractive finance disconnected from ecological realities. Visible accountability is key.

“Why would these investors not invest in their own bio-region where they can actually see the impact, and they don’t need complicated measurement methods or monitoring methods to try to understand what is actually happening? Like I’m a very big advocate of investing in your bio-region.” Sheila Darmos

PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK TO GREECE’S COUNTRYSIDE

Urban disillusionment and a quest for meaningful connection drive a reverse migration to rural Greece. Sheila links this to regenerative agriculture’s appeal and community support networks.
Greece’s experience with economic crisis has paradoxically created fertile ground for regenerative thinking. Many residents have already detached from materialistic pursuits and are seeking more meaningful connections—with land, community, and purpose. This cultural context, combined with Greece’s tradition of hospitality and care, aligns naturally with regenerative principles.

“We do see that a lot of people that want to move back to Greece, they contact us to support them. How can they regenerate the land that maybe belonged to their family, and now they want to take it back because they don’t see a point anymore in living in the city and working for unknown people to them?” Sheila Darmos

RETURNEES NEED STRUCTURES AND HELP SETTLING

Transitioning to rural life requires emotional and logistical support beyond financial means. Community networks bridge the gap for non-pioneer settlers. Against the backdrop of rural Greece’s sparse population (just 23 people per square kilometer compared to Paris’s 5,000), dedicated organizations like Southern Lights and the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture are creating networks that support farmers transitioning to regenerative methods. These community structures provide both practical knowledge and the crucial emotional support needed to undertake significant changes in farming approach.

“Especially what they need is a community like this for emotional support, because all the rest, they much more easily have figured it out. Like, very often they don’t do a very sudden transition, but they still keep working for jobs, partly at least. So they are financially more stable.” Sheila Darmos

OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED

Koen and Sheila also talked about:

• Rural vs urban divide
• How to reconnect consumers with their food
• The role of food companies to be that interface between rural and urban

LINKS:

• The Southern Lights
• Regenerative Europe from the Ground Up – EARA report
• BIOREGIONAL WEAVING LABS
• Reinventing Organisations – Frederic Laloux
• Local supermarket in Paris

LINKED INTERVIEWS:

• Matteo Mazzola – Walking the land of Iside Farm with a regenerative farmer
• Juliette Simonin – Teaching over 400.000 consumers that a farm isn’t a screw factory while selling them 4,7m boxes of organic and regen fruit and veggies straight from the farm
• Eurof Uppington on decommodifying olive oil, the largest and most fraudulent crop in the Mediterranean
• Edd Lees – After 23 years in finance, a new career full of life, soil, bread and a famous DJ

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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.