Sixty-four-year-old Tindano Pobarou, a mother of nine (five daughters and four sons), lived a peaceful life in the village of Bassieri. But one night, at 3 AM, she was forced to flee her home as armed groups attacked her village. She and her family crossed multiple dangerous regions with little time to prepare, and life as she knew it was turned upside down. The land she cultivated, the home she built, and the security she once had were gone. Yet, Pobarou refused to give up. She kept crossing … [Read more...] about Displaced Women Farmers in Burkina Faso: Symbols of Courage Amid Rising Violence
Farmer Stories
How Penda Turned a Dumping Ground into an Agroecological Urban Farm in Senegal
It's April. The temperature hovers at 104F (40°C). The ground feels hot beneath our feet, the wind is dry, and the air is heavy. Half-built buildings with brick and concrete walls line narrow sandy streets where women stride with heads held high and shoulders back, balancing fruit baskets atop their heads. The sky isn't as gray as in downtown Thiès or Dakar, but pollution still lingers, with faint smells of burning waste. Gray baobab trees, their branches bare, and a few thorny bushes are the … [Read more...] about How Penda Turned a Dumping Ground into an Agroecological Urban Farm in Senegal
Four Smallholder Women Farmers at the Forefront of Agroecological Farming
Almost half of the world’s agricultural workers are women. In the Global South, women produce 60 to 80% of the food that sustains their communities—yet they own less than 20% of the land. Despite having limited access to resources and shouldering significant family responsibilities, these women continue to feed the world. They play a crucial role in restoring ecosystems, addressing climate change, and building food security from the ground up. As they nurture land and life, there is much we can … [Read more...] about Four Smallholder Women Farmers at the Forefront of Agroecological Farming
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 … [Read more...] about Agroecology in Senegal: Lessons from Mohammed’s Innovative Model Farm
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 … [Read more...] about Meet Galy, a Farmer Spreading Hope in Guatemala’s Dry Corridor
Empowering Women in the Field: Radha’s Story
by Jacob Brescia-Weiler On a hot morning in early June, seated in front of her home surrounded by family and neighbors, Radha Purkoti of Ratmata, Mandan Deupur Municipality, Kavre, shared with me her progress in improving her and her family’s lives. Radha is a livestock and vegetable farmer in the Kavrepalanchok District of Nepal. She has been a member of the Jaruwa Sustainable Farming Group since its founding in 2016. Comprised of 28 members, the group is one of 27 women’s savings and … [Read more...] about Empowering Women in the Field: Radha’s Story