Groundswell International Operating Support

Lead Organization:

Groundswell International

Partner Organizations:

Groundswell is a global network of network member organizations from 11 countries organized for collective impact and focused on a common mission. Our member organizations include: Burkina Faso- Association Nourrir sans Détruire (ANSD); Ghana – Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD); Mali – Sahel Eco; Senegal – Agrecol Afrique; Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); Haiti – Partenariat pour le Développement Local (PDL); Honduras – Vecinos Honduras and Asociación de Comités Ecológicos del Sur de Honduras (ACESH); Guatemala – Qachuu Aloom and Asociación de Agricultores las Ilusiones (AGRIDIVI); Fabián Cuxil, General Coordinator; Mexico – Centro de Desarollo Comunitario Centéotl, A.C. (Centéotl); Nepal – BBP-Pariwar; India – Preservation and Proliferation of Rural Resources and Nature (PRAN)

Community of Practice:

Andes, East & Southern Africa

Countries:

Ghana, Senegal, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, India, Burkina Faso, and Mali

Duration:

5/2024—5/2026

Overview:

Groundswell International operates in 11 countries across three regions of the world, aiming to strengthen communities and build healthy farming and food systems from the ground up. The organization promotes agroecology as a sustainable and people-centered solution to the problems caused by industrialized agriculture. Groundswell’s approach focuses on supporting local organizations, collaborating with networks, and influencing policy at global, national, and local levels to foster sustainable agricultural and food systems.

Grant Aims:

The aim of this grant is to provide general operating support to Groundswell International, which operates across multiple regions to promote agroecological practices. The goal is to empower communities, particularly smallholder farmers and indigenous peoples, by facilitating local-level implementation of agroecology and sustainable food systems. Groundswell also aims to influence global policy and create systemic change in food systems through collaborative partnerships and evidence-based advocacy.

Outputs and Outcomes:

Outputs

  • Strengthen core programs: 1,000 community-based organizations, 1,540 communities, 250,000 farmers applying agroecology, 475,000 acres being regenerated, and 1,200,000 people improving their lives.
  • Territorial Amplification: Develop territorial amplification strategies in at least five countries, contributing to a critical mass of viable transition examples in different countries and regions.
  • Strengthening Local Food Consumption and Markets: Viable local market initiatives developed in all countries. Collaboration to play complementary roles is developed with strategic allies in at least five countries to strengthen local markets by 2027.  Women and youth play leading roles.
  • Stronger Alliances to Influence Policy, Discourse and Financial Flows: Strengthen alliances in the context of territorial scaling strategies in at least five countries by 2026, including to influence local development policies, plans and budgets.
  • Gender Equity: Develop and raise funding for a multi-country action-learning initiative by 2026 to empower women, promote gender equity, and to synthesize, document, and disseminate methodologies, results, lessons, and stories.
  • Youth Leadership: Engage youth in all 11 countries through attractive opportunities such as youth support groups, social media, communications, digital technology, art, building of youth agroecology promoter networks, local enterprises, market linkages, education, income generation, and employment.
  • Communications and Documentation: Document, disseminate and communicate insights from our grounded program experiences across all 11 countries by 2027, while elevating the voices of community members, NGO representatives, and staff, to amplify agroecology and to inform and influence decision makers, donors, civil society, and media.

Outcomes

  • Strengthen all three regional networks through assessments and organizational development plans for each partner.
  • Sustainable Local Food Systems: Strengthened local food consumption and market initiatives in all countries, benefiting youth and women.
  • Systemic Policy Change: Enhanced policy influence and commitment to agroecology in at least five countries, fostering long-term change at the local, national, and international levels.
  • Empowered Women and Youth: Empowerment of women and youth leaders through targeted initiatives, with increased participation in agroecology and leadership roles within their communities.
    Increased Financial Sustainability: Groundswell’s financial base will be strengthened through increased revenue generation, allowing for long-term support to partners and scaling impact.