The Coordinator of the National Coordinating Organisation for Farmers Association of The Gambia, Mr. Alieu Sowe has disclosed that 14 African states have recently concluded a five-day forum discussion on food security, in collaboration with Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa.
According to him, the participants were drawn from the 14 countries across the continent, who are in pursuance for the realisation of food security and sovereignty in Africa.
Njie said this, shortly after his return from the forum at Lusaka Zambia on documentation forum for the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa.
He briefed the Point that the purpose of this programme was to agree on a common vision of successful African solution to the African challenges in the context of food security and sovereignty.
He revealed that the forum which drew participants from various countries in Africa was organised by African Bio-diversity network (ABN), in partnership with COMPAS.
The primary aim was to come up with a format for the documentation of successful African case studies, as solution for reducing hunger and poverty in the face of climate change.
Mr. Sowe stressed the importance of the forum, which he noted, brings various stakeholders in different countries to discuss issues in the fight against hunger.
He noted that there is a need for all people, nations and state to determine their own food producing system and policies that provide everyone with good quality, adequate, affordable, healthy and culturally appropriate food, recognition and respect of women roles and rights in food production and representation of women in all decision-making bodies.
According to Mr. Sowe, food sovereignty is considered as a basic human right that everyone should work towards. He reiterated for the need to conserve and rehabilitate rural environment, fish stocks, land scalps and food tradition based on ecologically sustainable management of land, soils, water, seas, seeds, livestock, and other bio-diversity in Africa.
Mr. Sowe noted that food sovereignty offers a strategy to resist and dismantle the current corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, farming, pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers.
To him, food sovereignty promotes transplant trade that guarantees just income to all peoples and right consumers to control their food nutrition.
It also ensures that the right to use and manage our lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock, and bio-diversity are in hands of those of us who produce food.
He concluded by saying that food sovereignty implies new social relation, free of oppression and inequality between men and women, people, racial groups, social classes and generations.
