Seed regulation in Africa: Copagen denounces AU guidelines

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DECLARATION ON SEED GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA

WEMembers of the Coalition for the Protection of African Genetic Heritage (COPAGEN), a citizen’s movement and allies (including African society organizations, farmers’ organizations, human rights associations and consumer movements), analyzed the evolution of seed governance in Africa during a webinar (online meeting) held on September 9, 2022. The theme of this exchange is: “Peasant seed systems in the face of the harmonization process of seed regulation frameworks in West Africa: Challenges and prospects”.

The communications, the exchanges and the various contributions made it possible to elaborate the following Declaration:
At a time when regulations around the world are encouraging the protection of biodiversity and the strengthening of farmers’ rights to freely exchange, save and market their seeds, the African Union’s guidelines on the harmonization of seed regulatory frameworks in Africa run counter to this positive development.

The fact is that they (the guidelines) promote the forced transformation of the African seed heritage into a seed industry by adopting the three pillars of the framework set up in Western countries at the end of the Second World War and which industrialists are seeking to impose on all the countries of the planet within the framework of the globalization of commercial exchanges

This situation is detrimental to human rights in general, and in particular to the promotion of Farmers’ Rights (as specified in Article 9 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture) and Peasants’ Rights (as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and People Working in Rural Areas)

GREATLY CONCERNED by this process that will jeopardize the future of millions of people whose livelihoods depend on family farms and peasant seed systems, we question the real motives behind this initiative.

Indeed, the position of the African Union Commission, which leans towards seed certification, registration and protection of industrial seeds, inspired by the capitalist and imperialist model of the post-World War II era, leaves no doubt about the blatant bias of the continental institution in favor of the seed industry, to the detriment of the interests of African peasants and farmers.

STRONGLY RECALLING that these farmers and peasants who generally work on small plots of land with very little means are nevertheless the main artisans of food security and sovereignty in Africa.

In view of the above,

WE CALL ON THE AFRICAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES TO:

1. Ensure that seed processes on the continent are driven in parallel by farmers’ collectives, not by the seed industry. Any process aimed at establishing peasant seed systems must guarantee the full realization of peasants’ rights as human rights and ensure adequate geographic representation of peasant organizations from across the continent from the outset and at all stages of the decision-making processes.

2. Ensure that processes related to the future of the continent’s seed and food systems are subject to full democratic procedures in which interest groups (including local communities, peasants, farmers and consumers) participate effectively and fully, in accordance with the relevant provisions of international conventions.

3. Improve the continental guidelines for the harmonization of seed regulatory frameworks in Africa (AUC/DREA/C/036), drawing on seed regulatory frameworks proposed by African civil society organizations to better meet the requirements of international instruments for farmers’ rights and biodiversity promotion.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO :
1. Promote, at all levels and with all stakeholders, alternative regulatory frameworks for seed governance that support peasant seed systems, farmers’ and peasants’ rights to seeds and biodiversity, as a sui generis option for protecting African genetic resources.
2. Use all legal means to prevent “seeds of plenty” from becoming “seeds of doom”.
3. Denounce bio-piracy and work for the respect of the rights of farmers and peasants over their seeds in all countries of the continent.
4. Support the revision of national seed laws and policies to promote farmer seed systems (FSS).

Dated September 9, 2022.

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ABCD2 project

Projet ABCD-Un élève un arbre COP28

1. Project title

Supporting the scaling-up of community experiences and citizen monitoring of public policies in response to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa (ABCD 2 project)

2. Summary

The project to scale up community experiences and dynamics of citizen monitoring of public policies in the face of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa is the continuation of an initial project to capitalize on these experiences.

In fact, in 2022, with funding from the Basque Agency for Development Cooperation (ABCD), Inades-Formation carried out the project “Study-capitalization of best practices in the face of the challenges of climate change and local governance in sub-Saharan Africa “This project capitalized on 50 experiences, including 31 on adaptation to climate change and 19 on governance, in 11 sub-Saharan African countries.

Based on the results of this pilot project, we have been able to identify and capitalize on some of the living realities of community efforts to combat the problems posed by climate change in Africa. They have been developed by a variety of players, including public services specializing in environmental and climate change management, civil society organizations and farmers’ organizations.

This second phase of the project, which will run for 30 months (2022-2024), aims to (i) scale up these good experiences developed by communities in African countries, in terms of adaptation, mitigation and resilience to climate change and of (ii) support the dynamics of citizen monitoring of the associated policy and regulatory frameworks.

3. General objective

Contribute to the fight against global warming, through the large-scale promotion of local experiences and concerted policy measures relating to adaptation, mitigation and resilience mechanisms for vulnerable populations, especially rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa.

4. Specific objectives

  • Scale up the good experiences developed by communities in African countries, in terms of adaptation, mitigation and resilience in the face of climate change.
  • Support the dynamics of citizen monitoring of related policy and regulatory frameworks

5. Completion period: June 2022 to November 2024

6. Project area

The project is being carried out in 11 countries: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, DR Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Togo.

7. Financial partner

Basque Agency for Cooperation and Development (ABCD)

9. Implementation partners

17 local development organizations with projects that will replicate the good experiences capitalized on in phase 1 of the project. They were selected on the basis of the evaluation criteria of effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, sustainability and gender equity, following a call for projects launched by Inades-Formation.

List of organizations and their projects

Country

Organization

Project title

1

Burkina Faso

WMU-CDN

Strengthening women’s resilience to climate change by promoting agroecological practices. Case study of the agroecological farm run by the women of the Union des Groupements Féminins Ce Dwane Nyee (UGF/CDN), Sanguie province, Centre West region, Burkina Faso.

2

Burkina Faso

Inades-Formation Burkina

Strengthening eco-citizenship through environmental education for pupils in the commune of Arbollé in the northern region of Burkina Faso

3

Burundi

Inades-Formation Burundi

Promoting environmental education in schools to tackle climate change

4

Cameroon

FAP NGO CAMEROON

Promotion of Community Initiatives to Protect Common Interest Resources in Cameroon

5

Côte d’Ivoire

CDD-CI

One pupil, one tree to combat coastal erosion and the disappearance of mangroves

6

DR Congo

UWAKI North Kivu

Projet d’appui à la valorisation des semences paysannes dans les unions de Luofu, Kipese et Lubero en territoire de Lubero au Nord-Kivu / RDC. Inspired by the experience of the Union des groupements Naam de Koumbri in Burkina Faso

7

DR Congo

ACOSYF

Grassroots environmental education to tackle climate change in the Kaziba chiefdom in DR Congo

8

Kenya

Inades-Formation Kenya

The scaling up of experiences developed by communities and the dynamics of school-based re-afforestation initiatives to address climate change in Kenya

9

Rwanda

RECOR Rwanda

Affordable solar pumps for small-scale irrigation, a revolutionary technology to help farmers increase their resilience capacity to climate change issues in Rwanda

10

Rwanda

Inades-Formation Rwanda

Replication of the practice of grafting fruit trees to increase the resilience of farmers in the Bugesera district to climate change.

11

Senegal

7A MAA REWEE

Project to promote agro-biodiversity conservation through capacity building and documentation of local seed varieties in Senegal

12

Tanzania

Inades-Formation Tanzania

Promotion of community seed banks for the conservation of agro-biodiversity through capacity building and documentation of local seed varieties in Kondoa and Chemba Districts of Dodoma Region, Tanzania”.

13

Chad

Inades-Formation Chad

Promotion of seed banks, Scaling up the Seeds Savers Network /Kenya experience

14

Chad

ATASANPE Chad

Expand the “One student, one tree” project developed by ACOSYF RD Congo

15

Togo

APAD International Togo

The governance of protected areas: The case of the Agou mountainsides in Togo

16

Togo

Inades-Formation Togo

Continuous and competitive integrated family farming systems for farmer resilience to climate change in Tchamba 2 commune

17

Togo

JVE Togo

Governance of local seed systems among women’s cooperatives in the Assimé classified forest for climate resilience

ACF-AO project

WhatsApp Image 2023-08-24 at 15.13.12

1. Project title

Feminist Climate Action Project – West Africa ACF-AO

2. Summary

The “Feminist Climate Action in West Africa” project is being implemented in Côte d’Ivoire to contribute effectively to the resilience and fight against the effects of climate change by ecologically sensitive coastal and island communities, with a particular focus on rural women and young people.

It will build the capacity of communities, particularly women and young people, to implement strategies to protect biodiversity and ecosystems, notably through the adoption of agroecological practices, energy diversification and advocacy. It will strengthen the participation of rural women and young people in local governance of biodiversity and climate action.

Funded by Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada, the ACF AO project is taking place in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Togo.

It is managed in Côte d’Ivoire by SUCO and Inades-Formation – Secrétariat Général.

3. Background

Climate change threatens to push nearly a million more Ivorians into extreme poverty, increase the risk of water stress, with more and more regions expected to see more than 10% of their population in water shortage, and increase the resurgence of air- and water-related diseases among susceptible populations (Nationally Determined Contributions, CDN-COTE D’IVOIRE, March 2022). According to the World Bank, by 2050, Côte d’Ivoire will face an average temperature rise of two degrees Celsius, greater rainfall variability and a 30 cm rise in sea level along the coast (World Bank, 2018a).

Climate change affects all development sectors. However, differences between men and women in their relationship with their environment, differences in the composition of economic sectors and unequal access to resources and decision-making will amplify the impacts of climate change on certain categories of the population, including women.

The “Feminist Climate Action in West Africa” project is a response to this reality.

4. General objective

Strengthening climate change adaptation by rural and indigenous women and young people in ecologically sensitive coastal and island regions of Côte d’Ivoire.

5. Specific objectives

  • Increase the influence of rural and indigenous women and young people in climate policy advocacy and in the governance of high-biodiversity ecosystems vulnerable to climate change.
  • Increase the adoption of nature-based solutions such as agroecology, ecosystem and biodiversity protection and restoration, for climate change adaptation, by rural and indigenous women and young people.
  • Strengthen the climate resilience of rural and indigenous women and young people through economic empowerment and energy diversification.

6. Completion date: 2023 - 2026

7. Target audience / beneficiaries: Young people 41% & Rural and indigenous women 59%.

8. Project area

Adiaké, Grand-Bassam, Jacqueville and Grand-Lahou.

9. Project actions

Diagnose the obstacles and facilitating factors for the active participation of target groups in biodiversity and climate management decision-making bodies;

Participatory diagnoses carried out by local authorities on the climatic vulnerability of ecosystems and identification of gender-sensitive adaptation measures and strategies;

Training for rural and indigenous women and young people to strengthen and maintain their participation in decision-making bodies;

Training of beneficiaries on climate and biodiversity conservation policies;

Participating communities receive training in business development, inclusive value chains, cooperative management, and direct marketing.

Village awareness-raising and training workshops on biodiversity-friendly and gender-sensitive mitigation and adaptation measures carried out in participating communities.

Ecosystem management and development plans designed and implemented in participating communities.

Technical and financial support to participating communities for the implementation of climate-resilient agroecological practices (micro-breeding, agroforestry, market gardening, beekeeping and oyster farming); to strengthen access to productive water, agricultural inputs and equipment; for the installation of tree nurseries and reforestation of coastal ecosystems.

Solar and eco-energy equipment for food production, processing and preservation, and training in equipment use and maintenance.

Women and youth networking and advocacy

Support and strengthening of savings and credit systems provided to women’s groups.

10. Technical and financial partners

Project funded by Affaire Mondiale Canada and implemented by INTERPARES, SUCO and their partners, including Inades-Formation – Secrétariat Général pour la Cote d’Ivoire.

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