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West African Farmer Testimonies: How we are Overcoming the Crisis of Climate Change in the Sahel
West African Farmer Testimonies: How we are Overcoming the Crisis of Climate Change in the Sahel Ambakisye-Okang Dukuzumurenyi 26 Views • 5 years ago

ORFC Global 2021 Session

West African Farmer Testimonies: How We Are Overcoming the Crisis of Climate Change in the Sahel Through Natural Regeneration of Trees on Our Farms

Small-scale farmers in the 16 countries of the Sahel in West Africa face a dual crisis to their livelihoods: climate change and land degradation. 

For many generations, farmers had lived and farmed in equilibrium with the natural environment. They maintained soil fertility, water holding capacity and crop production through fallowing and other practices. 

Today, population pressure, climate change, soil erosion, misuse of agrochemicals have reduced the resiliency and sustainability of the farming system. Farm communities have become highly vulnerable to drought. Hunger and chronic malnutrition have increased. 

This session highlights the testimonies of farmers, men and women, from 4 countries in the Sahel in overcoming these problems. They represent a wider movement adapting the principles of “agroecology” (learning how to work with nature). This grassroots, farmer-led movement has achieved remarkable success in transforming landscapes, adapting to climate change, regenerating their soils, and improving their food security. 

Their inspiring testimonies show how human determination, innovation, and collective action have brought hope to one of the most ecologically fragile, crisis prone areas in Africa.

Speakers:
Tsuamba Bourgou
Fatou Batta
Dan Banuoku

Chair:
Peter Gubbels

#ORFCGlobal​
https://orfc.org.uk/

An Introduction to Earth Jurisprudence and the Role of the Sacred in Farming
An Introduction to Earth Jurisprudence and the Role of the Sacred in Farming Ambakisye-Okang Dukuzumurenyi 48 Views • 5 years ago

ORFC Global 2021 Session

Across Africa, a network of Earth Jurisprudence Practitioners is accompanying traditional and indigenous communities in the revival and enhancement of their Earth-centred customary governance systems. African Earth Jurisprudence Practitioners from West and Southern Africa will share the philosophy and practice of Earth Jurisprudence and the work that Earth Jurisprudence has inspired on the continent: stories of accompanying rural communities in the revival of their seed and food sovereignty and traditional knowledge and practices, the restoration of their sacred natural sites and associated rituals, and the strengthening of their ecological governance systems derived from the laws of the Earth.  

These civil-society-led initiatives to re-establish Earth-centred governance on the continent are founded on Africa’s rich indigenous legal traditions and cultural heritage and inspired by Earth Jurisprudence – a legal philosophy and ethical framework conceived of by eco-theologian Thomas Berry in the late twentieth century. Through the lens of community stories and Earth Jurisprudence, panellists will explore the role of the sacred in farming and how the revival of traditional farming practices and indigenous seeds can strengthen a sacred human-Earth relationship.

Speakers:
Appolinaire Oussou Lio
Gertrude Pswarayi-Jabson
Method Gundidza

Chair:
Liz Hosken

#ORFCGlobal​
https://orfc.org.uk/

Goats: The Hidden Transformers
Goats: The Hidden Transformers Ambakisye-Okang Dukuzumurenyi 22 Views • 5 years ago

ORFC Global 2021 Session

Goats play a transformative role around the world, particularly in harsh environments -  reflecting climate, vegetation or conflict. They transform the most indigestible plant material into meat, milk and skins and are also increasing the economic independence and resilience of rural women. 

Rothamsted is researching the role of goats in smallholder systems in Malawi and Botswana - focused on nutrition, socioeconomics and parasitology (through targeted selective treatment using metabolites from bioactive plants).  Goats have always been a priority for Farm Africa, providing them to vulnerable women living in rural eastern Africa - supported by animal health and business development services, empowering them to increase incomes and improve their families' nutrition. 

Meanwhile, in the UK, Bristol’s Street Goat connects families and individuals with the joys of working with animals and nature - increasing understanding of  their  food.  Local people collectively manage and care for them in urban areas, producing sustainable and healthy animal food products reared on overgrown and unusable urban land.

Chaired by Prof Mark Eisler, the workshop will reflect the transformative role goats are playing in ownership of household assets in Malawi and Botswana, transforming the lives of women and children in Ethiopia and Uganda and turning brambles into milk in Bristol.

Speakers:
Mulugeta Worku
Dr. Lovemore C. Gwiriri
Guru Thiru

Chair:
Prof Mark Eisler

#ORFCGlobal​
https://orfc.org.uk/

The Right to Say No: Defending Our Lands and Livelihoods
The Right to Say No: Defending Our Lands and Livelihoods Ambakisye-Okang Dukuzumurenyi 61 Views • 5 years ago

Leader of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC), Nonhle Mbuthuma, share’s her farming community’s struggle to defend their ancestral land from Mineral’s Resources Limited, (MRC) an Australian mining company with British investment. The people of Xolobeni town, on the Wild Coast of South Africa, fought for many years against the proposed gold mine and finally succeeded with their “Right to Say No” campaign in 2016. The proposed mine would have destroyed a 22km area of the Amadiba people’s riparian and coastal lands, polluting the waters upon which the community depends for their food and livelihoods.

The ACC wrote petitions, protested and created blockades along the coastline but the resistance was met with deadly violence when the previous chairman, Sikosiphi ”Bazooka’ Rhadebe, was murdered. Stepping up to lead her community, Nonhle, continually risked her life to keep the mining companies out but while they defeated MRC the threat never goes away. Now the South African government are looking to push through new mining contracts, without consultation, to help with its new Covid economic regeneration plan.  

An incredible land defender, Nonhle, is now at the forefront of a campaign uniting communities across Southern Africa to assert their Right to Say No to unwanted mining. She will be interviewed by Colombian activist, Mariana Gomez Soto, who works with communities in similar situations in the Amazon. 

Speaker:
Nonhle Mbutha

Chair:
Mariana Gómez Soto

#ORFCGlobal​
https://orfc.org.uk/

Farmer Managed Seed Systems in Africa
Farmer Managed Seed Systems in Africa Ambakisye-Okang Dukuzumurenyi 25 Views • 5 years ago

ORFC Global 2021 Session

Farmer Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) have, for hundreds of years, played a crucial role across the African continent in ensuring a diverse diet for millions of people and sustaining biodiversity. However, there is no continental law governing seeds in Africa and corporates have taken this as an opportunity to grab resources from the agricultural sector - which still occupies 70 % of the population into Africa - and sell them seed, fertilizers and pesticides. In some regions various stakeholders such as seed companies and their allies, are promoting uniformity in the name of high yield seed and food security. 

Despite the push of multiple legal-political instruments to install industrial seed systems as the vehicle of African agriculture, 80% of seeds used by farmers in Africa come from their own reserves.  In this panel, organised by AFSA, we will learn about two levels of resistance to the African seeds takeover by industry: first is led by civil society organisations at sub regional level, engaging the push of seed law revision favourable to hybrid seeds and GMO’s. Second is at national levels where farmers’ organisations break the law by organising seed festivals; sharing indigenous seed, knowledge and practices.

Speakers:
Jean Paul Sikeli
Mr. Sougalo Soulama
Fassil Gebeyehu Telemtu
Bright Thamie Phiri

Chair:
Famara Diédhiou

#ORFCGlobal​
https://orfc.org.uk/

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