Restoring Ancient Ahar-Pyne Water Systems: A Rebirth of Traditional Farming Practices in India
In the flat farmlands of Surungabigha in Southern Bihar, a dry body of water had been quietly fading into memory. The ahar-pyne — a traditional irrigation system developed by smallholder farmers — had long been abandoned. The land around it was barren, weeds growing in clumps where water once flowed. For local farmers, it was a visible reminder of colonial times, when British-imposed “modern” irrigation methods and land policies pushed aside community-built systems and the knowledge that once kept these lands fertile. But over the past year, the ahar in Surungabigha has begun to chan …
What Grows on Concrete? Lessons from the Urkuwayku Regenerative Farm in Ecuador
Perched atop a breezy hillside in the Ecuadorian Andes, a 5-hectare farm shows what the future of food can look like. At first glance, Urkuwayku (‘Windy Mountain’ in Kichwa) looks wild—in the best way. Trees stretch skyward. Flowers bloom in chaotic harmony. Fruits, herbs, grains, and vegetables spring from the ground at every turn. Birds chirp. Insects buzz. Life hums in every corner. This is no accident. Urkuwayku is a living, breathing system—auto-regenerating, as its founder Stephen Sherwood describes it. Here, nature is not controlled, but carefully studied and collaborated with. Steve de …
How Joining a Women’s Savings Group Helped This Farmer Survive Cancer
Farmers in Nepal, especially women, face a host of intersecting challenges. Many work with limited resources under difficult conditions, while also managing livestock, household responsibilities, and their children’s education from a young age. This burden takes a toll on their health and ability to sustain a livelihood. Women farmers are also particularly exposed to toxic pesticides—a result of structural inequality and poor regulation. As Nepali Times reports, “women and Dalit households tend to have higher exposure to toxic pesticides.” Long-term exposure has been linked to severe health co …
“We Are One”: Mercedes, a Young Kichwa Woman, Speaks on Nature, Community & Indigenous Knowledge
Mercedes is 16 years old and lives in Tunshi Grande, a Kichwa community 3,000 meters above sea level in Chimborazo, Ecuador.From there, she can see Taita Chimborazo, the closest point to the sun from the center of the Earth. But what interests her is not the summit but what happens below: the water that rises in the moors, the soils that feed the chakras, and the plants that heal her people. She recently told us about her two-year journey with the Youth Storytellers program, a space where young people from smallholder farmer communities learn to share their perspectives, cultural heritage and …
Groundswell International Earns a Top Four-Star Rating From Charity Navigator
Groundswell International is proud to share that we have earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, the highest possible designation from the United States’ largest independent evaluator of nonprofits. This recognition reflects our strong financial health and our commitment to accountability, transparency, and long-term impact. Charity Navigator has been a trusted resource for over 11 million donors annually since 2001, evaluating more than 230,000 nonprofit organizations across the United States. Their comprehensive rating system goes beyond finances to assess how effectively a nonprof …
21 Verses or Principles of a Model Farmer
Across Haiti’s rural hillsides, farming is a way of life, anchored in community, care for the land, and deep ancestral knowledge. Haitian peasant farmers have long practiced resilience through adversity, drawing on tradition and innovation to steward their land. This is especially true within the agroecology movement, where farmers work in harmony with nature to regenerate their soil, feed their families, and build stronger rural communities. Since 2009, the Haitian organization PDL (Partenariat pour le Développement Local) has facilitated dialogue with successful agroecological farmers to bet …