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Consider the food on your table — a reflection of the earth’s gifts and the farmers who coax life from soil and sun. Each meal represents a passage through seasons and hands, woven together into a global food system that feeds billions of people every year.
However, this network has become increasingly fragile under the weight of climate challenges and inadequate infrastructure, which strains its ability to meet rising demands. The future of food depends on a sustainable model, and farmers stand tall as the backbone.
This Thanksgiving, from beekeepers in Ethiopia to environmental stewards in Honduras, we honor those growing not only food but prospects that fortify communities and nourish us all.
For Natnael Behailu, an electromechanical engineer with a passion for agriculture, traditional beekeeping presented an opportunity for innovation. Using a 3D printer, Natnael designed an artificial honeycomb that allows bees to focus on honey production rather than comb construction.
“This [invention] is to help the bees work easier and yield honey in a shorter time,” Natnael explained. With support from Heifer’s AYuTe Africa Challenge Ethiopia, an annual competition that awards cash grants to young Ethiopian agritech innovators, he’s been able to refine his design and position the country’s beekeepers to participate in the food system with cutting-edge, sustainable methods.
Growing cardamom and cinnamon has become a powerful source of strength for Florinda Araceli Tzib Maaz that enables her to provide for her family and nurture the local food economy. Her work as a Heifer promoter — a farmer trained to teach others sustainable farming practices — also helps other women in Raxruhá, Guatemala. In this community, many women manage farms alone due to migration, and the production of high-value spices improves their livelihoods.
With guidance from Heifer’s Green Business Belt Signature Program, Florinda has learned sustainable farming practices and helps other women improve their crops and find better prices in the market. “As long as we have the support… we can get ahead, bringing sustenance to our families,” she said.
In Dadi Louis, Nigeria, Mustafa Ibrahim faces two constant challenges: limited access to fresh water and the financial strain of high-interest loans. Farming in a region where salty groundwater stunts crop growth, he has long battled to make ends meet while paying back local lenders for investments he’s made in his farm. That’s all set to shift now that Heifer has begun constructing a solar-powered water borehole and is working hand in hand with his community to connect farmers to microloans at reasonable rates.
“We receive more income than before because [Heifer] guides us. Even [with] the income we got, they guide us on how to spend the money,” Mustafa shared. With dependable water and access to affordable financing on the way, Mustafa is looking forward to investing more in his crops and providing enough food for his family.
Marzan Khatun once felt isolated in her rural village in Bangladesh, with limited opportunities to interact with others and access tools such as livestock, farming techniques and financial training. The Akota Women’s Cooperative and a local self-help group, however, offered her a lifeline to solidarity and shared resilience. Encouraged to join by Heifer staff, her membership in the cooperative introduced her to a community network where women inspire one another, save together and share valuable knowledge.
“Earlier, I did not have any opportunity or platform. There was no opportunity to meet people, sit with them or talk to them,” Marzan shared. Through the cooperative, she gained access to training, secured a small loan and expanded her farm to include buffalo, goats and a kitchen garden — all of which enrich the local food system through greater output and collective support.
In the highlands of Catacamas, Honduras, livestock farmer Samuel Diaz is redefining what it means to farm sustainably by serving as a leader in regenerative practices that protect the land and increase productivity, alongside his sons and nephews. “For me, it is a joy to work as a family… it is achieved with perseverance, and we feel happy,” he shared.
Guided by Heifer’s Leveraging Success project, Samuel runs a Farmer Field School to share the benefits of climate-smart and regenerative agriculture with his community. By introducing practices like solar power and rotational grazing, he’s reduced deforestation, preserved biodiversity and protected his land’s soil health. As a result, his farm stands as a model of durability that safeguards food security and a healthy ecosystem for all.
For Parbati Mohanta, farming has been a path to recovery and fortitude after surviving a devastating cyclone in Odisha, India. With Heifer’s training in poultry management and sustainable agriculture, she is now focused on creating stability and addressing long-term climate challenges such as erratic rainfall and poor soil fertility that continue to threaten agricultural productivity in her community.
As a participant in Heifer’s Odisha Socio-Economic Development project, she practices climate-smart methods, including organic vegetable gardening and azolla cultivation — the practice of growing a nutrient-rich water fern — for chicken feed. Now, her farm provides reliable income, nutritious food and stability amid unpredictable seasons.
Feature
In Senegal, Nafi is leading her village in the fight against malnutrition, turning nutrient-rich porridge into a powerful tool for food security.
