Fighting for Africa’s Seed Sovereignty

Oxford Real Farming Conference 2022 discussion with Mamadou Danfakha; Juliet Nangamba;
Anne Maina; Frances Davies;
Famara Diédhiou

Seed sovereignty is at the heart of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA). We know seed as a right, a common heritage and a collective resource for the continuation of life. Seed is selected, developed and nurtured by farmers and it is imperative that it remains in their control. On this basis, and supported by clear objectives of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Agriculture and Food (ITPGRFA), and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP), African Farmer Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) are increasingly being recognised, valued and brought into policy discussions.

In a panel discussion, AFSA members will share insights from grassroots seed celebrations across Africa. These will showcase examples of bio-fairs, the revival of lost varieties, community seed banking and participatory plant breeding initiatives, and national strategies to develop support for farmers’ varieties. AFSA members will also share their analysis of and objections to the co-option and coercion of our policy processes for the direct extension of the corporate seed and food regime into Africa. AFSA will clarify concerns about false solutions, conflicted agendas and worrying outcomes, and share the Alliance’s counter demands.

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https://orfc.org.uk/