Dear Friends, Groundswell will celebrate 15 years in 2024. We feel both humbled and proud as we reflect on what we have been able to accomplish together so far, and are determined to have an even greater impact in the future. Since our founding, we have learned a lot about how to coordinate an effective international network for collective impact, one that reflects our shared values and centers the agency of smallholder and indigenous farming communities. We are pleased to share some 2023 … [Read more...] about Celebrating 15 Years of Impact: A Letter From Steve Brescia, Executive Director
Agroecology
Empowering Women in Agriculture: The Transformative Impact of Agroecology and Community-Led Initiatives
Women are essential to furthering the agroecological movement and improving the well-being of their communities and families. However, in many countries worldwide, women are more likely to be denied access to resources needed to be successful in agriculture (land, animals, access to money credit). Agroecology, “the holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems” … [Read more...] about Empowering Women in Agriculture: The Transformative Impact of Agroecology and Community-Led Initiatives
Scaling Agroecology for a Resilient Future in Haiti & Ecuador
Agroecology offers a path for the positive transformation of our flawed farming and food systems, which significantly contribute to climate change, obesity, and global hunger. As interest in scaling agroecology grows, it’s crucial to evaluate its potential to merge science, practice, and social movements to build sustainable food systems. By offering practical and scalable solutions, agroecology promotes nutritious diets, soil regeneration, and climate resilience among farmers and … [Read more...] about Scaling Agroecology for a Resilient Future in Haiti & Ecuador
Fertile Ground: Agroecology and Innovation
During a systemic "polycrisis" in agriculture and food systems, agroecology emerges as a transformative solution. Agroecology addresses climate change, health crises, and global hunger while catalyzing practical, scalable approaches for sustainable diets, soil regeneration, and climate resilience. Embraced by diverse institutions, it aims for a just transition, nourishing landscapes, and empowering farmers in the face of pressing challenges. Peasant Innovation and Agroecology in Brazil’s … [Read more...] about Fertile Ground: Agroecology and Innovation
What Fertile Ground Teaches Us About Scaling Agroecology
It is increasingly clear that the rules by which we have organized our broader economic and political systems, with our agricultural and food systems at their center, are generating overlapping economic, environmental, social, and political crises. Our general ‘operating system’ is broken and has led us to what many are now referring to as a 'poly-crisis.' Industrialized agricultural and food systems are major drivers of climate change, environmental destruction, the dangerous … [Read more...] about What Fertile Ground Teaches Us About Scaling Agroecology
Women Farmers and Climate Change in West Africa
By: Dioma Komonsira Already weakened by gender inequalities and socio-cultural norms, women farmers in West Africa face new challenges in the context of climate change. Due to the dependence of West African agriculture on rainfall, extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, flash floods, and bushfires are becoming more frequent in the region and have a direct impact on harvests and, by extension, on the food security of farming households, especially women. Difficult access to water, … [Read more...] about Women Farmers and Climate Change in West Africa