A four-day forum commenced on October 21, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, assembling key stakeholders from the region. Participants include farmers' organizations, civil society, the private sector, NGOs, public institutions, policymakers, and researchers.
The forum's objective is to promote sustainable food systems and strengthen food sovereignty in West Africa through policies and public interventions prioritizing agroecology, organic farming, and climate-smart agriculture.
Discussions will address sustainable land management strategies to build resilience against climate change, adoption of eco-friendly practices by farmers, and policy support for a transition to green agriculture.
Participants will share success stories and local innovations in sustainable farming. They will assess progress in agroecology and organic agriculture while exploring financing mechanisms to support these practices. The goal is to rethink policies addressing challenges of food and nutrition sovereignty in the region.
West Africa faces significant issues including chronic food insecurity, climate change impacts, soil degradation, and rising insecurity threatening agricultural production.
The event is organized by the Alliance for Agroecology in West Africa (3AO) and the West African Organic Network (WAfrONet), partnering with ActionAid Nigeria and ECOWAS. The theme is: “Financing the Transformation of Sustainable Food Systems for Food Sovereignty in West Africa through Organic Farming, Agroecology, and Climate-Smart Agriculture: Policies, Mechanisms, and Instruments.”
Alain Sy Traoré from ECOWAS highlighted the need for financial support to scale up these agricultural models. He noted that without sufficient investment "the desired impact cannot be achieved."
Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS President H.E. Dr Oumar Alieu Touray and Commissioner Massandjé Touré-Litsé; Traoré emphasized that agricultural resilience remains a key challenge for member states. He pointed out that national budgets alone cannot meet international climate commitments' financial demands.
To address this issue he called for smarter cooperation to mobilize international climate funds stating “ECOWAS is committed to making climate action a political priority in the region... Alone we may go faster but together we go further,” Traoré concluded.
He urged participants toward meaningful discussions providing actionable recommendations encouraging greater support for agroecology organic farming alongside climate-smart agriculture among policymakers development partners alike.
Representing Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture Ibrahim Tanimu encouraged West Africans "to produce what they consume" emphasizing local consumption as key towards achieving regional self-sufficiency within food production sectors specifically
The forum receives backing from partners including ECOWAS European Union French Development Agency AFD Adaptation Fund West African Development Bank BOAD Green Climate Fund ActionAid among others
Alerts Sign-up