Grassroots Innovation Assembly

Based on the Grassroots Innovations Assembly for Agroecology (GIA) and its recent gathering in Ahmedabad, India, the following are persona/role descriptions representing key stakeholders involved in grassroots agroecological innovation.

Archetype	Risk Tolerance	Inst. Trust & Power	Political Risk	Financial Access	Business Orientation
Grounded Steward	High	Low	High	Low	Commons-based
Knowledge Bridge	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Variable	Mission-/education
Commons Innovator	High	Selective	Low–Medium	Low–Medium	Open-access/low-profit
Institutional Enabler	Low–Moderate	High	High	Very High	Impact or ROI
Systems Connector	Mod–High	Bridging	Medium	Moderate	Public-good/process-based
Impact Capital Strategist	Moderate–High	High	Medium	Very High	Double/triple bottom line
Disruptive Tech Entrepreneur	Very High	Low (system bypasser)	Variable	Mod–High	High-profit, exit-driven

The following are five synthesized archetypes distilled from the 17 personas/roles . Each archetype captures shared motivations, tensions, and functions across the grassroots-to-global agroecological innovation ecosystem.

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1. The Grounded Steward

Core Personas:

• Community Seed Saver

• Indigenous Knowledge Keeper

• Women’s Agroecology Cooperative Leader

• Indigenous Agroforestry Practitioner

• Indian Small Farm Network Innovator

Essence:
Anchored in land, culture, and tradition, the Grounded Steward is committed to protecting biodiversity, sustaining community knowledge, and ensuring ecological harmony. This archetype embodies custodianship of place and practices passed through generations.

Core Values:

• Biodiversity and cultural preservation

• Local sovereignty and stewardship

• Ecological resilience

Strengths:

• Deep ecological and experiential knowledge

• Strong trust networks in community

• Custodians of rivalrous and sacred resources

Tensions:

• Resource constraints (time, labor, funding)

• Risk of knowledge exploitation or dilution

• Limited institutional visibility

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2. The Knowledge Bridge-Builder

Core Personas:

• Agroecology Educator

• Agroecology Educator at CEPAGRO

• Farm Network Community Facilitator

• Agroecological Policy Advocate

• Systems Research Collaborator (CGIAR)

Essence:
A translator between worlds, the Knowledge Bridge-Builder connects traditional knowledge with academic research, practice with policy, and local stories with global platforms. They design participatory systems for learning, reflection, and adaptation.

Core Values:

• Knowledge equity

• Participatory research and learning

• Empowerment through education

Strengths:

• Pedagogical and facilitation expertise

• Access to both grassroots and institutional spaces

• Skilled in co-creation, training, and documentation

Tensions:

• Balancing rigor with accessibility

• Navigating divergent epistemologies (science vs. tradition)

• Dependence on donor or institutional cycles

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3. The Commons Innovator

Core Personas:

• Farmer-Innovator

• Farm Hack Tool Developer

• Digital Commons Platform Developer

• Indian Small Farm Network Innovator (also fits here)

Essence:
A creator of open tools and systems, the Commons Innovator seeks to solve real problems through collaborative design, low-cost technology, and knowledge sharing. They often work in hybrid maker-activist-educator roles.

Core Values:

• Open-source principles

• DIY problem-solving

• Practical utility with community benefit

Strengths:

• Technical ingenuity

• Design thinking and rapid prototyping

• Committed to inclusive access

Tensions:

• Sustainability of open-source models

• Lack of infrastructure or capital to scale

• Tensions with IP regimes and proprietary systems

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4. The Institutional Enabler

Core Personas:

• Strategic Agroecology Investment Officer (World Bank)

• UN Agroecology Policy Liaison (FAO)

• Sustainable Agriculture Investment Advisor (Sovereign Wealth Fund)

• Strategic Grantmaking Director (European Private Foundation)

Essence:
The Institutional Enabler channels capital, policy, and legitimacy to support agroecological transformation—often from positions within large bureaucratic or philanthropic systems. They are translators of systemic ambitions into structured interventions.

Core Values:

• Strategic alignment

• Accountability and transparency

• Scalable systemic change

Strengths:

• Access to financial and policy levers

• Influence in global and national agendas

• Ability to catalyze broad coalitions

Tensions:

• Bureaucratic inertia vs. grassroots dynamism

• Impact measurement vs. relational trust

• Risks of co-optation or instrumentalization of agroecology

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5. The Systems Connector

Core Personas:

• Farm Network Community Facilitator

• Digital Commons Platform Developer

• Agroecological Policy Advocate

• UN Agroecology Policy Liaison (FAO)

(note: many personas show overlap between archetypes—this one captures their connective tissue role)

Essence:
The Systems Connector is a relationship weaver, infrastructure thinker, and strategic listener. They hold space across silos, scales, and sectors to cultivate the trust and interdependence needed for commons-based governance.

Core Values:

• Federation and mutuality

• Interoperability and openness

• Collective governance

Strengths:

• Skilled in diplomacy, facilitation, and trust-building

• Understands both social and technical infrastructure

• Anchors participatory decision-making processes

Tensions:

• Often under-resourced or invisible labor

• Mediating power asymmetries

• Difficulty maintaining coherence across diverse actors

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** Optional Use Cases for these Archetypes:**

• Role-based policy simulations or scenario games

• Commons governance design (clarifying decision domains, capabilities, tensions)

• Narrative strategy: storytelling arcs across different types of changemakers

• Investment or partnership frameworks to align funders with grassroots actors

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1. Community Seed Saver

*A dedicated farmer from a rural village in India who has been preserving and exchanging indigenous seed varieties for over two decades, ensuring biodiversity and resilience in local agriculture.*

Values:

• Biodiversity preservation
• Community empowerment
• Cultural heritage

Goals:

• Protect and proliferate indigenous seed varieties.
• Educate fellow farmers on the importance of seed sovereignty.
• Establish a community-managed seed bank.
• Ensure sustainability and profitability of indigenous seeds and crops.

Obligations:

• Adhere to traditional practices and community agreements.
• Ensure seeds are not commercialized without community consent.
• Maintain accurate records of seed lineage and performance.

Capabilities:

• Cultivates and maintains diverse seed varieties.
• Organizes seed exchanges and workshops.
• Documents traditional knowledge associated with each seed.

Intellectual Property:

• Extensive knowledge of indigenous seed characteristics and cultivation methods.
• Traditional stories and uses associated with various plant species.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Limited storage facilities for seed preservation.
• Time and labor required for meticulous seed cultivation and documentation.
• Lack of awareness of the importance of biodiversity and seed diversity.

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2. Agroecology Educator

*An academic and practitioner from Kenya who bridges the gap between traditional farming knowledge and modern agroecological practices, facilitating workshops and training sessions for farmers and students.*

Values:

• Knowledge sharing
• Sustainability
• Empowerment through education

Goals:

• Develop curricula that integrate indigenous knowledge with scientific research.
• Foster a network of agroecology practitioners for continuous learning.
• Promote policies that support agroecological education.

Obligations:

• Ensure educational content is accessible and culturally relevant.
• Maintain academic integrity and rigor.
• Respect and incorporate local knowledge systems.

Capabilities:

• Designs and delivers educational programs.
• Conducts participatory research with farming communities.
• Advocates for agroecological approaches in academic and policy circles.

Intellectual Property:

• Comprehensive curricula on agroecological practices.
• Case studies documenting successful grassroots innovations.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Funding for educational initiatives.
• Access to diverse farming communities for fieldwork.

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3. Farmer-Innovator

*A small-scale farmer from Greece who has developed a low-cost, efficient tool for small-scale agricultural production, aiming to share this innovation with fellow farmers to enhance productivity and sustainability.*

Values:

• Practical problem-solving
• Collaboration
• Sustainability

Goals:

• Refine and adapt the tool based on user feedback.
• Facilitate workshops to teach others how to build and use the tool.
• Establish a cooperative for manufacturing and distributing the tool.

Obligations:

• Ensure the tool remains affordable and accessible.
• Share knowledge freely within the community.
• Maintain transparency in the development process.

Capabilities:

• Designs and prototypes agricultural tools.
• Conducts hands-on training sessions.
• Collaborates with other innovators for continuous improvement.

Intellectual Property:

• Detailed blueprints and instructional materials for the tool.
• Insights from field testing and user experiences.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Materials and equipment for tool production.
• Time dedicated to training and dissemination efforts.

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4. Indigenous Knowledge Keeper

*A respected elder from an indigenous community in Canada who safeguards and imparts ancestral agricultural practices and ecological wisdom, ensuring the continuity of cultural heritage and sustainable land management.*

Values:

• Cultural preservation
• Environmental stewardship
• Community well-being

Goals:

• Document and share traditional agricultural practices.
• Mentor the younger generation in sustainable land management.
• Advocate for the protection of indigenous lands and rights.

Obligations:

• Uphold the integrity and sacredness of traditional knowledge.
• Seek community consent before sharing knowledge externally.
• Protect the community’s intellectual property from exploitation.

Capabilities:

• Conducts storytelling and oral history sessions.
• Participates in environmental conservation initiatives.
• Engages in dialogues with policymakers and researchers.

Intellectual Property:

• Extensive oral histories and teachings on land and agriculture.
• Traditional ecological knowledge systems.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Time and energy to engage in knowledge-sharing activities.
• Access to platforms for advocacy and education.

Based on the organizations you’ve mentioned, here are six persona role descriptions representing key stakeholders involved in grassroots agroecological innovation.

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5. Indian Small Farm Network Innovator

*An inventive farmer from Gujarat, India, who has developed a unique, low-cost irrigation system to address water scarcity in arid regions.*

Values:

• Grassroots innovation
• Sustainability
• Community empowerment

Goals:

• Share the irrigation system design with other farmers to enhance water efficiency.
• Collaborate with researchers to refine and document the innovation.
• Protect intellectual property while promoting widespread adoption.

Obligations:

• Ensure the innovation remains affordable and accessible to small-scale farmers.
• Acknowledge and incorporate community feedback into design improvements.
• Comply with local regulations regarding water usage and agricultural practices.

Capabilities:

• Designs and prototypes agricultural tools and systems.
• Conducts workshops to demonstrate the irrigation system.
• Networks with other innovators through the Honeybee Network.

Intellectual Property:

• Detailed schematics and operational guidelines for the irrigation system.
• Insights from field testing and user experiences.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Materials and tools for constructing the irrigation system.
• Time dedicated to training and dissemination efforts.

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6. Farm Network Community Facilitator

*A development worker from Uganda who coordinates participatory innovation development (PID) processes, linking local farmer innovations with scientific research to enhance sustainable agriculture.*

Values:

• Participatory development
• Local knowledge integration
• Sustainability

Goals:

• Identify and document local agricultural innovations.
• Facilitate collaboration between farmers and researchers.
• Promote policies that support farmer-led innovation.

Obligations:

• Ensure equitable participation of all community members.
• Respect and uphold the intellectual property rights of local innovators.
• Report progress to Prolinnova’s national platform.

Capabilities:

• Organizes and moderates community meetings and workshops.
• Documents and disseminates information on local innovations.
• Builds networks among farmers, researchers, and policymakers.

Intellectual Property:

• Comprehensive reports on local innovations and PID processes.
• Training materials for facilitating participatory development.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Funding for community projects and workshops.
• Time allocated to fieldwork and coordination activities.

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7. Farm Hack Tool Developer

*A mechanical engineer from Vermont, USA, who designs open-source agricultural tools to support small-scale farmers in improving efficiency and sustainability.*

Values:

• Open-source collaboration
• Sustainability
• Empowerment through technology

Goals:

• Develop and share designs for affordable, adaptable farming equipment.
• Engage with the farming community to identify needs and gather feedback.
• Promote the principles of open-source development in agriculture.*

Obligations:

• Ensure designs are accessible and modifiable by users.
• Maintain transparency in the development process.
• Respect user feedback and incorporate improvements.

Capabilities:

• Designs and prototypes agricultural tools.
• Shares designs and instructions through the Farm Hack platform.
• Collaborates with farmers and other developers to refine tools.

Intellectual Property:

• Open-source designs and documentation for various farming tools.
• User manuals and instructional videos.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Materials and equipment for prototyping.
• Time dedicated to development and community engagement.

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8. Agroecology Educator at CEPAGRO

*An agronomist from Florianópolis, Brazil, working with CEPAGRO to promote urban agriculture and composting initiatives, aiming to enhance food security and environmental sustainability in urban communities.*

Values:

• Agroecology
• Community engagement
• Environmental stewardship

Goals:

• Implement urban agriculture projects in low-income neighborhoods.
• Educate residents on composting and waste management.
• Advocate for policies supporting urban agroecology.

Obligations:

• Ensure projects are inclusive and culturally appropriate.
• Maintain partnerships with local organizations and authorities.
• Monitor and report on project outcomes to CEPAGRO.

Capabilities:

• Designs and implements urban agriculture and composting programs.
• Conducts workshops and training sessions for community members.
• Engages in policy advocacy related to urban agroecology.

Intellectual Property:

• Curricula and educational materials on urban agriculture and composting.
• Case studies and reports on project implementations.

Rivalrous Resources:

• Funding for project materials and activities.
• Time allocated to community engagement and education.

Here are four additional persona role descriptions representing key stakeholders in grassroots agroecological innovation. These roles further enrich the diversity of actors involved in sustainable agriculture, data governance, and community-driven food systems.

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9. Indigenous Agroforestry Practitioner (Amazon, Brazil)

A leader from an Indigenous community in the Amazon rainforest who integrates traditional agroforestry techniques with modern climate adaptation strategies to protect biodiversity and sustain local food systems.

Values:

• Ecological harmony
• Food sovereignty
• Intergenerational knowledge transfer

Goals:

• Restore degraded forest lands using agroforestry techniques
• Strengthen Indigenous food systems and market access
• Secure legal land rights and prevent deforestation

Obligations:

• Must adhere to traditional land stewardship agreements
• Bound by community consensus in decision-making
• Ensures biodiversity conservation in all farming activities

Capabilities:

• Implements agroforestry techniques for carbon sequestration
• Engages in policy advocacy for Indigenous land rights
• Participates in knowledge-sharing networks on sustainable land use

Intellectual Property:

• Traditional plant knowledge and agroforestry techniques
• Community-based land management practices
• Documentation of climate adaptation strategies

Rivalrous Resources:

• Limited access to financial resources for scaling agroforestry projects
• Threats from land-grabbing and deforestation pressures
• Labor-intensive nature of agroforestry restoration

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10. Agroecological Policy Advocate (West Africa)

A policy researcher and grassroots organizer focused on shaping national and international agricultural policies that promote smallholder resilience and climate justice.

Values:

• Equity in agricultural policies
• Farmer-led decision-making
• Agroecological sustainability

Goals:

• Influence policy frameworks that support agroecological farming
• Increase public investment in farmer-led innovation
• Ensure fair market access for smallholder farmers

Obligations:

• Must align with regional and international legal frameworks
• Required to provide policy briefs for government agencies and NGOs
• Adheres to scientific and community-led evidence in policy recommendations

Capabilities:

• Drafts legislation proposals and research reports
• Organizes coalitions of farmers and researchers for advocacy
• Conducts policy impact assessments

Intellectual Property:

• Policy briefs on sustainable agriculture
• Case studies on successful agroecological interventions
• Frameworks for participatory policy development

Rivalrous Resources:

• Time constraints for policy engagement and lobbying
• Limited government responsiveness to grassroots advocacy
• Funding limitations for farmer-centered policy research

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11. Digital Commons Platform Developer (Global)

A software engineer working to create decentralized, open-access data platforms that empower farmers to manage and share their agricultural knowledge securely and equitably.

Values:

• Open knowledge sharing
• Farmer data sovereignty
• Technological equity

Goals:

• Develop secure, farmer-controlled digital commons for agroecological data
• Ensure data interoperability across agricultural knowledge platforms
• Protect farmer-generated knowledge from corporate exploitation

Obligations:

• Must adhere to open-source and ethical tech development principles
• Required to maintain platform security and user privacy
• Needs to align with local and global data governance frameworks

Capabilities:

• Builds decentralized data storage and sharing solutions
• Designs farmer-friendly interfaces for digital knowledge exchange
• Integrates traditional ecological knowledge into digital platforms

Intellectual Property:

• Open-source code for data governance frameworks
• Encryption and privacy protocols for farmer data
• Metadata standards for agroecological information systems

Rivalrous Resources:

• Funding for long-term maintenance and scaling of platforms
• Developer hours for refining and troubleshooting technology
• Access to diverse user feedback for improving usability

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12. Women’s Agroecology Cooperative Leader (Andean Region, South America)

A leader of a women-run agricultural cooperative that promotes agroecology, food sovereignty, and rural economic empowerment in the Andean highlands.

Values:

• Gender equity in agriculture
• Community resilience
• Cultural preservation through food systems

Goals:

• Expand market access for women farmers through cooperative sales
• Strengthen seed-saving networks to maintain traditional crop varieties
• Secure training programs for agroecological production and entrepreneurship

Obligations:

• Must distribute profits equitably among cooperative members
• Bound by regional cooperative governance laws
• Required to train the next generation of women leaders in agroecology

Capabilities:

• Facilitates collective farming and resource-sharing initiatives
• Organizes agroecology training programs for women
• Develops local branding for cooperative products

Intellectual Property:

• Traditional Andean crop cultivation and processing methods
• Recipes and culinary knowledge passed through generations
• Cooperative business models for women-led agroecology initiatives

Rivalrous Resources:

• Limited access to capital for cooperative expansion
• Time constraints due to balancing family, farm, and cooperative leadership roles
• Market barriers for small-scale cooperatives competing with industrial food systems