The First Nations Farmers

What does it mean to farm with Country rather than simply on it? And how can First Nations knowledge reshape the future of Australian agriculture?

In this powerful episode of Paddock, Plate & Planet, host Imogen Corlette travels to Worimi Country on the Mid North Coast to sit down with two remarkable neighbours, thinkers and farmers: Jocelyn King, founder of Djanaba Farm, and Joshua Gilbert, agricultural researcher, advocate and Indigenous Co-Chair of Reconciliation NSW.

Jocelyn King is a proud Aboriginal woman, born and raised on Gadigal land and a direct descendant of the King and Smith families. She is also Chair of First Australians Capital. At Djanaba Farm, Jocelyn is cultivating a model of food and fibre production grounded in relationality, community and sovereignty - where farming is less about extraction and more about reciprocity.

Just down the road, Josh Gilbert works at the intersection of agriculture, climate, identity and truth-telling. With extensive experience across Indigenous affairs, environmental advocacy and sustainable agriculture, Josh helps governments, corporates and communities navigate change through deep listening, empathy and narrative leadership. His pioneering work has bridged the gap between agriculture and climate action, shaped the Bush Foods sector, and sparked new conversations about Australia’s agricultural identity -  now captured in his upcoming book, Australia’s Agricultural Identity: An Aboriginal Yarn.

Together, Jocelyn and Josh explore:

• What it means to align modern agricultural demands with First Nations values
  
  
• Why “taking only enough” challenges dominant paradigms of productivity and profit
  
  
• The long shadow of colonial agricultural systems - and the opportunities ahead
  
  
• How Indigenous land management practices can guide regeneration, resilience and community prosperity
  
  
• The role of storytelling, truth-telling and cultural revival in shaping a future food system that nourishes both people and Country

With warmth, clarity and honesty, this conversation invites us to rethink how food is grown, who gets to decide, and what is possible when we listen to the world’s oldest continuous agricultural knowledge system.

Read more about Jocelyn here: Paying it forward with Jocelyn King - First Australians Capital

Find out more about Josh’s book here: Joshua Gilbert

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.