The Agroecology Fund is taking a participatory approach to philanthropy to scale ways of farming that offer a departure from harmful industrial methods. These agroecological practices emphasize soil health and biodiversity, promote fairness and equity, and encourage the co-creation of knowledge with food producers and local communities.
Since its founding in 2011, the Fund has invested US$33 million through 617 grants in 96 countries. The hope is to “usher this wave of activity for agroecology,” Daniel Moss, Co-Director of the Agroecology Fund, tells Food Tank
At its core, “one shorthand for agroecology is farming with nature,” Moss explains. It sounds obvious, he says, but in many cases, “we viewed nature as an enemy,” seeing pesticides and herbicides as a solution to tame the natural environment.
Agroecology is also a science and a practice of movement building, Moss adds. “The food system is controlled by very narrow economic interests and to make changes, you need a movement that can propose and push policies and, importantly, hold them accountable in their implementation.”
To advance these goals, the Fund prioritizes participatory grantmaking, which Moss refers to as a model of trust-based philanthropy. They work to develop deep connections with social movements and create space for funding recommendations to come from those who are closest to frontline change networks.
The Fund tries to remain flexible, allowing for experimentation from their partners. Instead of mandating particular projects or initiatives, they ask grantees to share solutions that seem to be most effective in their local context. There will be mistakes, Moss says, but partners will revise and adapt their approach until they get it right.
It will take around US$430 billion to transition to agroecological and regenerative food systems, according to estimates from the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. Current funding represents roughly 10 percent of that.
Moss acknowledges that, despite an increased investment in the space in recent years, food businesses and policymakers will need to play a role. “There’s no hubris here that the philanthropic sector is going to be the main investor in agroecology and push it over the finish line.” But, he says, support from philanthropic organizations can help communities demonstrate the power of agroecology and “prove their case to bigger funders” like governments.
Listen to the full conversation with Daniel Moss to hear more about the work of the Agroecology Fund’s partners, the opportunities that agroecology creates for women and youth, and hopes for the 30th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil.
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Photo courtesy of the USDA NRCS
