African Learning Exchange on Agroecology Economies
13-19 September 2024, Harare, Zimbabwe– Plastic rice, long commercial supply chains, flour with aflatoxins, fake fertilizers, no-show agricultural officers, and high child malnutrition rates continue to make the headlines in Kenya’s agricultural space. It’s disheartening and risky that food security is not treated with the significance it deserves. Nonetheless, KOWYN continues working on achieving food sovereignty through nurturing agroecology transitions. With all the efforts, we are still not able to feed the country. How do we resolve this?
Delegates passionate about resolving the above issues and revitalizing African food systems gathered for a historic tripartite event in Zimbabwe. The series of gatherings were the 2nd African Agroecological Entrepreneurship and Territorial Markets Convening (AAE), the 5th Biennial Food Systems Conference (BFSC), and the Zimbabwe Good Seed and Food Festival.
Judy Kipkenda, KOWYN‘s Founder and Executive Director was among the Kenyan delegation attending the African Learning Exchange on Agroecology Economies funded by the Agroecology Fund. The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor fund supporting agroecological practices and policies. The gathering kicked off with a visit to the two-day Zimbabwe Good Seed and Food Festival organized by Bio-Innovation Zimbabwe and PELUM Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Good Seed and Food Festival themed ‘Celebrating the Diversity and Resilience of Local Foods‘.
The theme highlighted the importance of promoting local, climate-adapted crops and farmer-managed seed systems as key solutions to Zimbabwe’s dual challenges of undernutrition and rising obesity rates. The festival featured seed exchanges, cooking demonstrations, and a vibrant marketplace showcasing traditional grains, indigenous fruits, vegetables, and more. The goal was to reconnect farmers, consumers, and private sector stakeholders to promote market linkages that extend beyond the festival.
Learning and Exchange at Kufunda Learning Village
The Agroecology Fund believes that agroecology is about iterative, applied learning. Therefore, the lessons from this learning are best shared – for practical application – by the very organizations and networks that are engaged in on-the-ground science, practice, and advocacy. Hence the need to host a forum that brings grantees together to share knowledge and experience and to find common grounds for collaboration. Additionally, the learning exchanges serve as a “Global Assembly” for the Agroecology Fund to share its strategy and seek course corrections from the grantee community.
This commitment to collective “action-reflection-action” is what makes a movement strong.
After a week of learning, unlearning and relearning, each represented country sat together to discuss a way forward on advancing agroecology. The Kenyan delegates agreed to form synergies that would enhance co-created spaces to learn from each other. By doing this, they are hopeful that their unity will not only catalyze but strengthen the agroecology movement in Kenya.
KOWYN would like to extend a note of gratitude to Monica Yator of Indigenous Women and Girls & KOWYN’s Board Advisor for being a bridge-builder.
Compiled and Written by Karen Kilwake.
Interested in the Harare Declaration of Commitment and Call to Action? Click here.