ALLIANCE FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN AFRICA DEMANDS A QUICK STOPPAGE OF FOSSIL-FUEL FERTILIZER AND CHEMICAL USAGE TO RESTORE AFRICA'S NATURAL SOIL AND ECOSYSTEMS.
...as $1 billion plus funding has failed the AGRA agenda.
By Alfonso Kasongo
Africa's largest food producer networks are demanding a decisive shift away from imported fossil-fuel based fertilizers and chemicals towards self-sufficient, ecological farming that revitalizes soil and protects ecosystems.
The networks have observed with concern the increasing erosion of soil fertility and destruction of ecosystems due to escalated use of fossil-fuel fertilizers and chemicals alleging that the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has deepened the continent’s dependence on expensive imported inputs and undermined the resilience of Africa’s food systems.
Researches indicate that despite over $1 billion of funding from USAID, the Gates Foundation, and the governments of UK, Canada, Germany and others — donor-commissioned evaluations have confirmed that AGRA has failed to increase food security, yields and farmer incomes.
The networks are further concern that AGRA's efforts have not only deepened farmer dependencies on foreign inputs, but also undermined the resilience of Africa's food systems.
Therefore, a broad Alliance of African civil society, faith groups and farmer leaders, hosted by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa AFSA — Africa's largest civil society movement, representing 200 million people demands a quick action to avert further destruction of the soil and ecosystems on the continent.
Ahead of the annual African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) which is being led by AGRA, community leaders are calling for an end to the failing Green Revolution.
Meanwhile the Alliance is on September, 1, 2022, scheduled to host a press briefing to address pertinent issues on how dependency on foreign inputs are harming Africa’s resilience to the climate crisis, why AGRA’s initiatives undermine crop/diet diversity and ecosystems, and the ecologically sound alternatives needed for true climate resilience.
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