Groundswell International Inc

GROUNDSWELL INTERNATIONAL STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES TO BUILD HEALTHY FARMING AND FOOD SYSTEMS FROM THE GROUND UP.

GROUNDSWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC. (GROUNDSWELL) STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES TO BUILD HEALTHY FARMING AND FOOD SYSTEMS FROM THE GROUND UP. GROUNDSWELL'S GLOBAL NETWORK INCLUDES 10 NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HUNDREDS OF GRASSROOTS GROUPS ORGANIZED INTO THREE REGIONAL PROGRAMS FOR ACTION LEARNING AND AMPLIFICATION (ALAS): LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (ECUADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, HONDURAS, MEXICO), SOUTH ASIA (NEPAL), AND WEST AFRICA (BURKINA FASO, GHANA, MALI, SENEGAL). IN 2021, COLLECTIVELY, THE GROUNDSWELL NETWORK SUPPORTED 155,398 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PRODUCTION, RESILIENCE, AND WELLBEING. OUR WORK IMPROVED THE LIVES OF 716,671 PEOPLE FROM 958 MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES BY ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY, ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY, AND SOCIAL MARGINALIZATION WITH A PRACTICAL, "LEARNING BY DOING" APPROACH THAT BUILT PARTICIPANTS' CONFIDENCE WHILE MEETING THEIR BASIC NEEDS.

WHILE PROGRAMMING IN EACH REGIONAL ALA, AS WELL AS AT THE COUNTRY LEVEL,IS DESIGNED TO RESPOND TO THE LOCAL CONTEXT, GROUNDSWELL PROGRAMS EVERYWHERE: ~~ WORK WITH FARMER LEADERS TO TEST AND ADOPT AGROECOLOGICAL METHODS AND SPREAD THEM TO MORE PEOPLE THROUGH FARMER-TO-FARMER TRAINING, ALLOWING THESE FARMERS TO PRODUCE MORE HEALTHY FOOD AND RESTORE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF DEGRADED LAND. ~~ EMPOWER WOMEN FARMERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SAVINGS AND CREDIT GROUPS, IMPROVE ECOLOGICAL PRODUCTION, GAIN ACCESS TO PRODUCTIVE ASSETS, AND DIVERSIFY THEIR LIVELIHOODS, WHICH IN TURN IMPROVES THEIR FAMILIES' FOOD SECURITY, INCOMES, AND RESILIENCE.

~~ STRENGTHEN LOCAL MARKETS AND INCREASE FARMERS' INCOMES THROUGH SAVINGS AND CREDIT GROUPS AND COMMUNITY-BASED AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES THAT ADD VALUE TO LOCALLY GROWN CROPS. ~~NOURISH VULNERABLE FAMILIES BY EXPLICITLY INTEGRATING GENDER EQUITY AND NUTRITION INTO AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS. OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH LINKS AGROECOLOGICALFARMING TO FAMILY NUTRITION. ~~SUPPORT CITIZENS TO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS ON ENABLING LOCAL POLICIES AND PRODUCE INFLUENTIAL CASE STUDIES, POLICY BRIEFS, AND REPORTS TO FACILITATE SHARING ACROSS OUR NETWORKS AND WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO EXPEDITE THE NECESSARY TRANSITION TO AGROECOLOGY. WEST AFRICA: WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AGRECOL AFRIQUE IN SENEGAL; ASSOCIATION NOURRIR SANS DTRUIRE IN BURKINA FASO; THE CENTER FOR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA; AND SAHEL ECO IN MALI. ACROSS THESE FOUR COUNTRIES, OUR PROGRAMS ENGAGED 139,046 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS TO IMPROVE THEIR FARMING, WEATHER THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL WELLBEING. IN 2021, THE WORK IN WEST AFRICA BENEFITTED 608,848 PEOPLE AND CONTRIBUTED TO REGENERATING 291,313 HECTARES OF LAND. LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: WE WORKED WITH PARTNERS CENTRO DE DESARROLLO INTEGRAL CAMPESINO DE LA MIXTECA IN MEXICO; EKORURAL IN ECUADOR; PARTENARIAT POUR LE DVELOPPEMENT LOCAL IN HAITI; QACHUU ALOOM IN GUATEMALA; AND, VECINOS HONDURAS IN HONDURAS. IN THESE FIVE COUNTRIES, WE SUPPORTED 15,539 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS TO IMPROVE THEIR FARMING, CREATE SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS, AND STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES' RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. IN 2021, THESE PROGRAMS BENEFITTED 102,825 PEOPLE AND HELPED REGENERATE 5,334 HECTARES OF LAND. SOUTH ASIA: WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNER BOUDHA BAHANUPATI PROJECT - PARIWAR IN NEPAL TO CREATE OR STRENGTHEN 30 SAVINGS AND CREDIT GROUPS WITH 704 MEMBERS; TRAIN 630 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN AGROECOLOGICAL FARMING PRACTICES TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION AND FOOD SECURITY; AND DISTRIBUTE GOATS AND MILKING BUFFALO TO 473 RURAL WOMEN,WHO WILL PASS ON THE ANIMALS' OFFSPRING TO OTHER WOMEN IN THE FUTURE TO SPREAD BENEFITS. IN 2021,THIS PROGRAM BENEFITTED 4,998 PEOPLE. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE DIRECT PARTICIPANTS ARE WOMEN FROM THE "UNTOUCHABLE"CASTE, WHICH HAVE SUFFERED GENERATIONS OF THE WORST DISCRIMINATION.