We are living through a period of converging crises: climate, economic, social, and political. Climate shocks have intensified, food prices and malnutrition are on the rise, conflicts are disrupting millions of livelihoods, and international aid has been slashed. Meanwhile, the industrial food system continues to fuel the climate crisis, concentrate wealth in the hands of a few, lock farmers into dependency on external inputs, and degrade the ecosystems we depend on. Yet … [Read more...] about Groundswell International’s 2025 Annual Report: How 270,000+ Farmers are Building a Climate-Resilient Future
Systemic Change
Forming the Future Foundation of Agroecology and Food Sovereignty in West Africa
West Africa is one of the youngest regions in the world, with people under 35 making up the majority of the population. Yet across much of the region, agriculture, the sector that sustains millions of livelihoods, remains difficult for young people to enter as independent producers. The conditions required to qualify as an independent farmer include access to and ownership of land, control over labor, family dynamics, and the funds required for farming. This overall capital is far above the … [Read more...] about Forming the Future Foundation of Agroecology and Food Sovereignty in West Africa
Agroecology Works Even Under Climate Pressure: What Our Partners Showed Us in 2025
Five in the morning. Don Juan wakes to the sound of roosters in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca—the same routine he's followed since he was six years old. Sixty-eight years ago, he would walk with his father to the foot of El Picacho mountain, through fields thick with alfalfa, corn, beans, and squash. The morning dew would fall on his head. The air smelled like earth. "I remember it used to rain very well," he says. "My father planted twice a year. Back … [Read more...] about Agroecology Works Even Under Climate Pressure: What Our Partners Showed Us in 2025
Bridging the Gap: Appropriate Farming Technology for Scaling Agroecology in West Africa
In West Africa, around 80% of the population relies on agriculture, with smallholder farmers producing most of the food consumed locally. Many are turning to agroecology to improve resilience and food security, but the heavy labor demands of agroecological farming limit its adoption. One critical solution lies in what development practitioners call "appropriate technology"—not expensive electronics or AI, but simple, affordable tools designed for local … [Read more...] about Bridging the Gap: Appropriate Farming Technology for Scaling Agroecology in West Africa
Agroecology Pays Off in Burkina Faso: New Study Shows 77% Yield Gains and Strong Financial Returns Despite Extremely Dry Conditions
A new study from Groundswell International, Altus Impact, and the Burkinabè NGO Association Nourrir Sans Détruire (ANSD) offers compelling evidence that agroecology works and is ready to scale. The study analyzes data from more than 400 farming households in Burkina Faso’s eastern region, collected between June 2023 and June 2024. The results show a clear progression: as farmers adopt more agroecological practices, their incomes, yields and wellbeing improve. Indeed, farmers using several … [Read more...] about Agroecology Pays Off in Burkina Faso: New Study Shows 77% Yield Gains and Strong Financial Returns Despite Extremely Dry Conditions
Ajil Tz’aqat: A Mayan Way of Life for a World in Crisis
"You are me, and I am you; we are us, and what happens to you happens to me." What would our world look like if this sentence guided our laws, economies, and daily lives? This relational principle is the foundation of Ajil Tz'aqat: a way of life anchored in care, balance, harmony, and reciprocity, shaped by the Mayan cosmovision. It guides the daily life and values of the Maya people in Guatemala, but also the work of local organizations like AGRIDIVI (Asociación de … [Read more...] about Ajil Tz’aqat: A Mayan Way of Life for a World in Crisis