In northern Ghana, Fuseina spent years watching fertilizer costs rise while her yields fell. Her life took a turn when she joined an Agroecology Committee in 2025, discovering and helping to spread practices that transformed her land. Written by Salma Abdul-Rashid, Urbanet Torope, Central Gonja District, Ghana — Fuseina Dokurugu is a 40-year-old smallholder farmer and mother of seven from Torope. She has farmed since childhood, relying on her three-acre plots as her primary source of … [Read more...] about The Farmer Who Doubled Her Harvest Without Chemicals in Two Years – Agroecology in Ghana
Farmer Stories
As Fertilizer Prices Rise, Agroecology Offers a More Resilient Path for Farmers
Authors: Sarah Sahlaney and Chandi Guntupalli At Groundswell International, we often talk about how our network builds farmer self-reliance. In an increasingly interconnected world, why does this matter for farmers, their families, and communities? Recent news, and Usha's story, show why self-reliance is such a valuable goal. Throughout April and May, ships carrying hundreds of tons of chemical fertilizers sat in the Gulf of Hormuz, unable to reach their final … [Read more...] about As Fertilizer Prices Rise, Agroecology Offers a More Resilient Path for Farmers
“These Tools Have Changed The Way We Farm”: Appropriate Tools Are Making Farming Dignified Again in Ghana’s Savannah Region
Abdul Latif Issah, a 38-year-old farmer and respected community leader in Mahamuripe, Central Gonja District, is a husband and father of five. He serves as Secretary of the local community's Agroecology Committee*, coordinating learning sessions, mobilizing farmers, and documenting community progress. Farming has always been central to life in Mahamuripe, providing food, income, and cultural identity. Yet, like many rural communities, Mahamuripe has faced challenges that threatened productivity, … [Read more...] about “These Tools Have Changed The Way We Farm”: Appropriate Tools Are Making Farming Dignified Again in Ghana’s Savannah Region
The Women Who Feed Us: 15 Youth-Led Films Honoring Women Farmers
What does a woman farmer's day look like in the hills of Nepal? What does it mean to save seeds in Central America when decades of industrial agriculture have displaced traditional knowledge? What does it take to challenge a patriarchal tradition, and bring about social change? For the past three weeks, these are the questions youth from smallholder farming communities have been answering on film. Their short films premiered at our Field to Film Festival, an annual youth-led event showcasing … [Read more...] about The Women Who Feed Us: 15 Youth-Led Films Honoring Women Farmers
Practical Lessons from Pacho Gangotena’s Agroecological Farm in Ecuador
As part of our regional conference in Latin America, we visited Pacho Gangotena’s agroecological farm, a short drive from Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Finca Chaupi Molina is not just any agroecological farm. Over 32,000 Indigenous farmers and technicians have crossed its grounds to learn from Pacho and transform their own farms and chakras into healthy, regenerative systems. Harmony is the first word that comes to mind when crossing its humble gates. Striking simplicity and care were applied to … [Read more...] about Practical Lessons from Pacho Gangotena’s Agroecological Farm in Ecuador
The Silence of the Land: A Story Written by Young Storytellers from Mexico
As part of an activity within the Youth Storytellers Program with Centéotl in Mexico, youth set out to create a short journalistic chronicle rooted in their own territory. The exercise was designed as a hands-on experience to strengthen writing and research skills, while also putting into practice different tools for observation and contextual analysis. Throughout the process, the youth worked on preparing interviews, both planned and spontaneous, and on developing skills for engaging with … [Read more...] about The Silence of the Land: A Story Written by Young Storytellers from Mexico