Stephen is an organic farmer and food activist based in Ecuador as well as a lecturer and research fellow with the Communication and Innovation Group at Wageningen University. Over the last 25 years, he has supported rural people's movements throughout the Americas, seeking social change in favour of healthier, more sustainable living and being. The activity of my colleagues and I has contributed to major innovations in rural development practice, including: the introduction of farmer-led experimentation and farmer-to-farmer extension methodologies in favour of the sustainable intensification of smallholder agriculture through the successful promotion of green manures and covercrops, Integrated Pest Management, seed management, and water harvesting. Stephen have co-founded agroecology movements in Central and South America as well as a number of exciting organizations, including the global grassroots development partnership Groundswell International (www.groundswellinternational.org) and the philanthropy PeaksOverPoverty (www.peaksoverpoverty.org).
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)