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Groundswell International and Partners Secure $3.5 Million Grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Strengthen Haitian Food Systems
Groundswell International has been awarded a $3,519,710 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, in close collaboration with Partenariat Pour le Développement Local (PDL), our local NGO partner in Haiti, and Acceso, a nonprofit social enterprise known for its effectiveness in connecting smallholder farmers to local markets in five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This three-year grant will allow these program partners to strengthen key program pillars of the Haiti Food Systems Alliance (HFSA), a locally-led coalition of 15 organizations that believes in and supports the powe …
Transforming Food Systems From the Ground Up: Our Theory of Change
For over 13,000 years, farming has been about people constantly innovating and working with nature to create reliable ways to grow food and enhance well-being. But the past 200 years have seen a dramatic shift towards industrial agriculture. Heavy reliance on fossil fuels and mechanization became the norm, prioritizing quick growth over protecting natural resources. Today, a few large corporations dominate the supply of farming inputs such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides and patented seeds, shaping markets and policies to serve their interests. This shift has led to short …
Devastating Flood in Nepal Affects Dozens of Families in the Terai Region
On what seemed like an ordinary monsoon night, the residents of Ishworpur Municipality in Sarlahi were caught off guard by an unprecedented flood. This was no ordinary flood; it was a catastrophic event brought about by a combination of unplanned urbanization, haphazard construction, and extensive land coverage with concrete. The relentless rain, unable to find its natural course, wreaked havoc as it flowed uncontrollably through the Terai region. The Terai region of Nepal lies along the southern border, adjacent to India, forming a narrow belt that extends from the eastern to the wester …
Young Voices from Mali and Honduras Celebrate Nature and Soil Conservation with Art
This month, youth from Mali and Honduras wrote, drew and spoke about their connection to nature in honor of World Nature Conservation Day and International Day for the Conservation of Soil. As participants in our Youth Storyteller Program, they document the transition to agroecology in their communities, filming, interviewing and photographing their families working in the field. Over time, they acquire essential farming skills, protect their land, and inspire rural youth to stay in their communities by demonstrating that there are meaningful job opportunities available locally. Starting …
Agroecology in Senegal: Lessons from Mohammed’s Innovative Model Farm
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal. It resembles a mini-Dakar: narrow streets of cement and unfinished buildings buzz with street vendors, unlicensed motorcycles, and corner cafés selling mostly Western food. While Dakar’s coastline enjoys a fresh sea breeze in April, Thiès is engulfed in crushing heat that tastes like sand and smells like gasoline. But weather aside, the city is a marketplace of innovation and ideas, and a testing ground for innovative and sustainable farming methods like agroecology, the region being one of the country’s top producers of groundnuts. So, the Groundswe …
Meet Galy, a Farmer Spreading Hope in Guatemala’s Dry Corridor
Galy lives in the arid mountain community of Suquinay, El Divisadero. For years, the region has been grappling with intense heat and prolonged dry spells, plunging millions into harsh life conditions. The situation has been worsening yearly, with Guatemala being among the top 10 countries most at risk from the effects of climate change. But there’s hope. Galy, a woman farmer collaborating with our local partner, Asociación de Agricultores las Ilusiones el Divisadero (AGRIDIVI), is teaching her community to safeguard water, regenerate the land, and produce nutritious food, helping improve the w …