How women protect Mexico City's ancient island farms

By using new technology and shared knowledge, the Dutch have become global leaders in agricultural innovation and solutions to fight famine. Work being done at Wageningen University & Research has allowed farmers in the Netherlands to grow crops year-round and in all kinds of weather, while eliminating the use of chemical pesticides and reducing the dependence on water by as much as 90 percent at some farms. Exporting these techniques to other countries has its challenges, but international graduate students are working to implement these programs in their home regions to help people experiencing hunger.

The Mvskoke 4-H Ocmulgee Club, in collaboration with Oklahoma State University and MCN Food Distribution, teaches Muscogee (Creek) Nation students hands-on pecan tree planting and food sovereignty skills rooted in Mvskoke cultural tradition.

Beaver restoration programs across the American West are creating fire-resistant green refuges, improving water storage and quality, and supporting wildlife recovery by partnering with the dam-building rodents rather than eliminating them, demonstrating that a nature-based approach can simultaneously address wildfire risk, drought, and ecosystem degradation.

Communities in Kathmandu are restoring centuries-old stone water spouts that now provide 2.4 million liters of clean drinking water daily to residents facing contaminated tap water and severe supply shortages. Some restored spouts have produced over 800,000 liters per day and served as community gathering spaces.

Indigenous women in British Columbia are leading the revival of cultural burning practices and integrating Indigenous knowledge into wildfire management. Organizations like the Salish Fire Keepers Society have led to policy changes and an increase in Indigenous representation in firefighting roles.

Arvin-Edison Water Storage District has spent decades diverting imported river water into spreading ponds to recharge its aquifer for later pumping, a strategy credited with helping halt past groundwater declines and raise levels over time.

A workforce development program in Washington D.C. gives locals the opportunity to intern at energy companies for on-the-job training four days a week and attend class-style training one day a week. Participants earn a living wage and graduate with the skills necessary for a full-time position in the sustainability sector.

Blanchet House is a nonprofit that provides food and housing for people in need. Men who are recovering from substance abuse can live at the farm and have an opportunity to work on the land and learn skills that promote self-sufficiency and confidence. Men generally stay up to 8 months with free room and board, attend daily AA and NA meetings, and are assigned jobs like tending to the animals and ground maintenance. Unlike other sobriety programs that emphasize deep self-reflection, Blanchet House focuses on the physical component of getting your hands dirty and learning responsibility.

A community gardening project growing the guajiro bean has allowed Wayuu farmers in the Colombian desert to achieve food security despite the effects of climate change and external pressures. While scaling this agricultural success to other Indigenous clans can be difficult, using a low-tech irrigation system and red earthworm compost has allowed one settlement to feed its community and make their soil fertile again.

The Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance organized a seed drive to distribute thousands of seeds to 270 different tribes. The indigenous seed exchange led to the creation of an intertribal cooperative to share traditional knowledge and practices as well. It has conducted a seed census in addition to creating a seed sovereignty assessment toolkit for communities.