“America Can Be Too Proud”

In keeping with today’s theme, here’s an article by Carole Motsinger about the Asheville based non-profit Global International that is focused on investing in long-term customized solutions created by local communities. Christopher Sacco, the co-founder and director of Groundswell International, who lived in Ecuador for eight years notes,  “One thing that I realize after this latest financial crisis is that we have a lot to learn from developing countries.”

I’m proud to be an American. That said, America can be too proud.

Our country has a tendency to not look outside the borders for wisdom and solutions — sometimes I feel the only time we do look at developing countries is to look down on them.

Christopher Sacco, the co-founder and director of Groundswell International, an Asheville-based global nonprofit focused on strengthening community organizations and training leaders, knows firsthand how much the United States can learn from other parts of the world. And he’s inviting Asheville to access this global classroom, so to speak, through free, facilitated discussion at UNC Asheville on solutions to major issues impacting the global food and agriculture system.

“The majority of our Groundswell partners are international organizations and people,” he said, noting he lived in Ecuador for about eight years. “One thing that I realize after this latest financial crisis is that we have a lot to learn from developing countries.”

Five global leaders in community-led rural development will share their on-the-ground experiences in Haiti, Ecuador, and West Africa. Topics will include community-led rural development, the importance of strong local seed systems in preserving biodiversity and food sovereignty, strategies for resilience to climate change, and food crises and the role of women farmers in rural development.

Focusing on creating long-term solutions to overcome poverty, inequality and ecological destruction through healthy farming and food systems, Groundswell International opened its global coordination office in January in Asheville. Founded in 2009 and originally based in Washington, Groundswell supports community organizing in rural areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America to build healthy farming and food systems from the bottom up.

The public event coincides with the organization’s annual gathering Sept. 16-20. The event draws both global and local experts in agroecology and rural development to share innovations and best practices, as well as coordinate actions to affect global change. (Local organizations involved include Blue Ridge Food Ventures, Farmer’s Daughter Catering, Sow True Seed and UNCA’s “Food for Thought” interdisciplinary course cluster.)