AfrONet Editorial Note January – June 2020

AfrONet Editorial Note January - June 2020 Covid-19 is threatening Africa’s long walk to prosperity The Covid-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges across the globe, especially for nonprofits and social enterprises striving to continue their work while also responding to the crisis. As the novel virus continues to spread, health systems and the day-to-day livelihoods of ordinary people remain under ...
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AfrONet Editorial Note January – June 2019

AfrONet Editorial Note January - June 2019 The future of our own food is in the hands of EOA actors It is extensively agreed by many that today’s global agriculture system and structures is a social and environmental disaster. This is due to natural hazards or human–induced actions that result in significant changes in circumstances over a relatively short time ...
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AfrONet Editorial Note January – June 2018

AfrONet Editorial Note January - June 2018 Let’s join hands to promote organic farming Different forums held across the world have been urging stakeholders in organic agriculture to spearhead public awareness campaigns on organic benefits among farmers and consumers. We echo this clarion call because we believe it’s time all stakeholders joined hands in seeking to increase awareness on organic ...
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EOA goes upwards in East Africa – PELUM Kenya

By Naanyu Manei, PELUM Kenya THE Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative was born out of a resolution by the African Union Heads of State and Governments during the 18th Ordinary Session held on 24-28 January 2011 to support organic agriculture in the African continent.   The regional secretariat was formed to operate and coordinate the EOAI function in the region ...
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There’s no free lunch out there anymore

In most tropical countries, a significant part of the people's food and energy requirements is derived from a remarkable diversity of crop plants existing in the wild or under limited cultivation. The fruits, seeds, and leaves of many of these plant resources already form common ingredients in a variety of traditional native dishes for the rural population in developing tropical ...
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Nigeria leads in efforts to mainstream organic agriculture in school curriculum – ECOWAS

By Ebere Agozie, Abuja ERNEST Aubee, the head of the Department of Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, says Nigeria is one of the leading countries in West Africa that have taken the lead in efforts to mainstream organic agriculture in school curricula. Aubee, who is also chairman of the Regional Steering Committee of the Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) ...
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Organic agriculture takes centre stage in AU Agenda 2063

By Constantine Akitanda, recently in Saly Portudal, Senegal Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) is a major component of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 with regard to enhancement of food security and sustainable development. The first ten-year strategic plan, which was adopted by the African Union Summit in June 2015 as part of the 50-year horizon, embodies the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative ...
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Africa warned of encroachment on food sovereignty

By Constantine Akitanda, Saly Portudal, Senegal African countries have been extolled to stand united against an onslaught by multinational industrial agricultural companies to dump inappropriate technologies and agricultural applications in the continent. The president of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Mariann Bassey-Oruvweje, told a conference on African Food System and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) held in SalyPortudal, ...
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Organic Agriculture taking a new form in Zanzibar

By Constantine Akitanda A strategic plan to fast-track the scalability of organic agriculture in Zanzibar is in the final stages of preparation and expected to be endorsed this August. The team working on developing the strategy says a lot has been done so far and the final draft will be tabled in August to be agreed and be launched officially ...
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Knowledge hub centres to enrich growth of organic agriculture in Africa

By Constantine Akitanda, Dar es Salaam THREE organic agriculture knowledge centres are set to be established in eastern, western and southern Africa to spread and accelerate the adoption of organic agriculture practices in the continent. “We had an interesting network meeting on boosting the role and potential of organic agriculture in Africa at the beginning of April and agreed on the next ...
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Press Release

Zanzibar, Friday, 28th February 2020

France partners with the African Organic Network for a greener Agriculture in Africa

On February 28th, the Minister of Trade and Industries in Zanzibar, Ambassador Amina Salum, inaugurated the Innovative Institutions for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Africa (IIABA) Project, in the presence of H.E. Frédéric Clavier, Ambassador of France to Tanzania, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in Tanzania, the French Development Agency (AFD), Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), Small and Medium Industries Development Authority (SMIDA), Zanzibar State Trade Cooperation (ZSTC), Director of Crop Development from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Chairperson of the Parliament, Agricultural Committee.

IIABA project is financed by the French Development Agency (AFD) and coordinated by Tanzania-based organization African Organic Network (AfrONet). AFD has allocated a 1,498,000 Euros grant to AfrONet and its partners for the purpose of scaling up and out Ecological and Organic Agriculture across the African continent.

The project aims to implement institutional innovations that will scale up and out ecological and organic agriculture in Morocco, Tanzania and Uganda and at the same time consolidate the capacities of AfrONet and its members. Main areas of action in the IIABA project will involve building innovative markets, innovations for Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and public policy analysis and support. These institutional innovations will then be disseminated to partner countries and within AfrONet.

Building innovative markets aims at establishing conducive and accommodative market opportunities for farmers of all levels to have platforms to sell their produce to willing buyers through formal and informal markets.

Innovations for participatory guarantee systems aims at studying existing PGS processes and operations and formation and devise mechanisms to improve on PGS operations in each country. Moroccan PGS experience is of higher level and thus a tool will be developed and shared to IIABA project for trials and if it fits, will be adopted.

Public policy area aims at studying existing policies in each country governing agriculture sector, develop position papers and share them out to stakeholder for their input and take it up with legislators to influence policy formulation to support ecological organic agriculture.

The project partners are: Moroccan Interprofessional Federation for Organic Agriculture (FIMABio), National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU), Moroccan Network of Agroecology Initiatives (RIAM), Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM), French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE).

H.E.M. Frédéric Clavier, Ambassador of France to Tanzania pointed out “the general support given by France to such initiatives, that foster global approach enabling to tackle economic and environmental major challenges.” He added “It is now becoming urgent to develop a family agriculture linked to other food producers and to practice a responsible agriculture that respects natural production cycles and soils conservation.”

According to AfrONet Director of Programs, Moses Aisu, IIABA interventions will build the capacity of organic institutions to manage organic agriculture systems and stakeholders for effective management of organic and agro-ecological agriculture in project areas and Africa in general.

AfrONet is committed to ensuring the IIABA project is implemented to achieve the set objectives and goals through ensuring the identified activities are implemented and best, convenient and affordable technologies are used by stakeholders.

About AfrONet

AfrONet, a Tanzania-based non-for-profit international non-governmental organization, is an umbrella organization uniting and representing African organic stakeholders throughout the African continent. Their mission: to scale up ecologically and organically sound strategies and practices through institutional capacity development, scientific innovations, market participation, public policies and programs, outreach and communication, efficient coordination, networking and partnerships in Africa.
https://eoai-africa.org/afronet

 

About AFD

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) funds, supports and accelerates the transitions to a fairer and more sustainable world. Focusing on climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urban development, health and governance, our teams carry out more than 4,000 projects in France’s overseas departments and territories and other 115 countries. In this way, we contribute to the commitment of France and French people to support the sustainable development goals.

afd.fr/en

Press contacts:

For AfrONet

Constantine Akitanda – luhanyaakitanda@yahoo.com –  +255 782 395 517

For AFD

Berenice Oreyo-Pierronnet – oreyopierronnetb@afd.fr – +254 759 637 405

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