African Governments Urged To Protect Interests Of Small Farmers

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

 Leaders of some of Africa's best-known farmers' groups have taken up the cause. They ardently advocate the promotion of small-scale farmers who are marginalized by the players in industrial agriculture. At the same time, they are protesting against the industrial agriculture that is influencing agricultural policies and food systems in several African countries.

These leaders spoke on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at a virtual press conference organized by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and its allies. AFSA is a broad alliance of different civil society players involved in the fight for food sovereignty and agro ecology on the continent.

These leaders include not only those from AFSA, but also those from other structures such as the Zambian-based Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity (ZAAB); the Mali-based Institut de Recherche et de Promotion des Alternatives en Développement (IRPAB); the South African-based Southem African Faith Communities' Envirnment Institute (SAFCEI) and others.

The virtual press conference gravitated around a well-worded theme, namely ''no decision about us without us: leading African farmers' groups challenge corporate domination at the Agra Summit''.

The leaders note that small-scale farmers have played a major role in the African food system for many years.

"The contribution of small-scale farmers to the food system is essential," said Anne Maina of AFSA Kenya, lamenting the fact that these small-scale farmers have less and less access to their land because of companies involved in industrial agriculture.

To protest against this industrial agriculture, Maina called on Agra's donors (formerly known as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), who work with industrial agriculture players, to halt their funding.

Gabriel Manyangadze of SAFCEI echoed this sentiment. While acknowledging the important role played by small farmers in food security, he lamented the reality that the inputs small farmers buy are expensive.

"What's going to happen when the aforementioned companies pull out?" he questioned. He pointed out that food systems are locked in on the continent.

Mamadou Goita from IRPAD, Juliet Mangamba from ZAAB and Juma Shabani, another leader, returned to the same realities. They also advocated agro ecology, which they said would protect future generations.

These farmer leaders are raising their voices just a few days before the "Agra Summit" scheduled for September 05 to 08 in Tanzania.

According to a ''media advisory'' on the press conference emailed by AFSA and its allies, the Agra Summit will learn how the African Forum on Food Systems will continue to steer government policies in favor of industrial agriculture; will channel public funds to support land grabbing by agro-industrial corporations; will learn to neglect the essential role of small-scale farmers.

The aforementioned farmer leaders affirmed that they had witnessed a persistent failure of Green Revolution programs to reduce poverty; a failure to increase productivity; a failure to promote climate adaptation; a failure to adequately feed Africa... Hence the need to promote and support Africa's small-scale farmers.