Local heroes, global impact: stories from Solidaridad in 2024

^{Sonia Peña is at the forefront of sustainable agriculture as she strives to improve living conditions for her family and her fellow community members in Peru.}

2024 was a year filled with highlights:

• In Asia women have assumed a leading role starting new businesses while building a more direct connection with customers,
• In the Amazon, farmers and ranchers are working to implement low-carbon farming practices and protect biodiversity, and
• Specialized training and access to financing have provided new opportunities for sustainable growth in Africa.

Read on to find a selection of our top stories that profile and celebrate the work of a global community dedicated to sustainable change. (And feel free to browse through all of Solidaridad's latest news and stories here.)

Asia

Grit and guts: Karuna Daimari writes her own success story in tea

Karuna Daimari in Assam has spent her lifetime challenging stereotypes with her work as a tea farmer and an entrepreneur. Her journey highlights the importance of training and support for small growers, while she continues to inspire other women to work for success in business. Read more here about how Karuna answers the question: What is the role of women in tea?

Women dairy farmers assert themselves in Sri Lanka: A visit with Karunawathi Jayasundara

In Sri Lanka, especially for women, it's not easy to be a dairy farmer. Through a project that provides training in farm management, leadership and finance, women who work in dairy have achieved higher milk production, increasing incomes and greater independence. Read more about Karunawathi Jayasundara here.

Indigenous Dayaks reclaim their right to food and forests in Indonesia

The Dayak people are using agroforestry to preserve ecosystems and maintain biodiversity. Their efforts in Ensaid Panjang village have led to increased incomes and a renewed appreciation for the value of sustainable forests. Read more here about the new opportunities for the Dayaks in the Tawang Serimbak forest.

Teh nDeso connects in Indonesia

Indonesia's small-scale tea farmers face ongoing challenges due to climate change and competition. Fortunately, a recent initiative, Teh nDeso, is promoting sustainable practices and has helped small farmers to connect directly with consumers.Read how Indonesia's small scale tea growers are finding new opportunities with Teh nDeso.

Farming on water in Bangladesh

Innovative approaches to water and land-use planning are changing agriculture across five districts in coastal Bangladesh. Young farmers, like Tania and Rubel, have seen a profound effect on their livelihood as they implement sustainable practices based around the local ecosystem. Read here how water access is transforming village life and agriculture.

Africa

A rice farming revival

In rural Sierra Leone farmers are revitalizing their agricultural practices, and women farmers like Jeneba Hakawa are working hard to increase local rice production. With seeds, tools and training, the Resilient Food and Nutrition Security programme has helped rural community groups develop inland valley swamps for rice cultivation to improve food security and create economic opportunities. Read here how women farmers are taking the lead on food security in Sierra Leone.

African cooperative thrives as a citrus producer

A South African citrus cooperative has defied the odds to grow from supplying local markets to exporting lemons, mandarins, and oranges around the world. Their success lies in a commitment to quality, investment in training, and an embrace of new technology. Read how this cooperative is a powerful example of how innovation can transform the agricultural sector.

From the sky to the soil, landing on agroecology

From the cockpit of a plane to the heart of sustainable agriculture, Ambroise N'koh has shifted to focus on transforming his cocoa farm in Côte d'Ivoire into a model for agroecology. He not only produces high-quality cocoa, he is driving positive change within his community. Read here how this former pilot has become an advocate for agroecology.

Breaking barriers for women in Malawi and across Southern Africa

A groundbreaking gender policy has been launched in Malawi's tea sector. With a goal of creating safer workplaces for all, the programme includes the training for gender champions and the distribution of an anti-harassment manual. Read how the initiative sets a precedent for other agricultural sectors and demonstrates the importance of inclusive work environments that are free from discrimination.

Access to finance drives sustainable agriculture: David Amoamah's story

In Ghana, smallholder farmers like David Amoamah have struggled to access loans for farm improvements. Now, an innovative pilot project connecting farmers with financing, reliable service providers, and a guaranteed market for their crops has brought a real improvement to the livelihoods of 47 oil palm farmers. Read David's story here.

Latin America

Farmers learn as they grow in Amazonia Connect

Fidel Hernández is a teacher in the Caquetá region of Colombia, who is now spreading coffee knowledge throughout the region. He discovered a new passion for coffee farming through the Amazonia Connect initiative and is among a group of sustainable agriculture promoters in his community. Read more about Fidel's journey and the power of education to impact local economies and the environment.

An about face for ranchers in the Amazon

Ranchers in Brazil are changing how they farm and improving their income while reducing their impact on the environment in the process. Extension officers from Amazonia Connect are helping ranchers, like Alaion Costa and Cleuto Prates, make the move to rotational grazing on their farms in the State of Pará. Learn more here about Brazilian families finding a better way to farm.

Meet Sonia: A front runner in sustainable oil palm

Sonia Peña, a determined and passionate oil palm farmer, has emerged as a beacon of hope and change in the Ucayali region after becoming the first smallholder in Peru to be audited for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification in the country. Read here about how this dedicated mother and influential community leader is at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and community development.

Innovating coffee with women smallholders in Honduras

Café de Mujeres Brisas isn't just any coffee. The Honduran coffee brand is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration. Created with help from the organization PROEXO and Solidaridad, Café de Mujeres Brisas emerged from an exchange of women coffee producers. Read the powerful story of women taking the lead to create a unique coffee blend here.

Jony Rodriguez: A miner, an entrepreneur in Peru

Surrounded by arid, mountain landscapes in Peru, Jony Rodriguez has taken advantage of a unique financial product targeting small-scale miners to double production at his mine. With his business on the rise and a growing reputation as an entrepreneur, Jony confidently aims to make further improvements, while supporting both his family and his community. Read Jony's story here.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.