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| Figure 1: JVE International, Lome - TOGO |
In
July 2013, I participated in a conference in Accra, Ghana as part of my quest
for answers to this. I was one of FARA’s prestigious gathering of agricultural
stakeholders, policy-makers, researchers, financial and renowned donor
organizations around the world. As a youth, agriculturist and a journalist I
found his obligatory because I wanted to be part of the solution. This was the 6th Africa
Agricultural Science Week (#AASW6). It was christened: “Africa feeding Africa”.
This was a programme beyond my expectation. It was heavily attended by
professionals, Ministers from the length and breadth of Africa and even heads
of states. This already told me how important and sensitive this issue is and
the urgency for its solution.
Now
here am I with the same concern re-surfacing again three years after. JVE
International (www.jve-international.org ) a renowned youth organization based in Africa
headquartered in Lomé, Togo revisiting this. How excited to be part of it too.
A week long forum sweetly organized to encourage agroecology to the youth in
Africa as a paramount approach in solving this menace.
My
motivation to writing this article is not to famous or to be recognized but to
allow my readers to also appreciate that SDG 2 can only and only be achieve
through a consensus effort of all. Take time to ask yourself where you fit in
because we all have an invaluable role to play. You will marvel at the extent
at which youth actively involved themselves in this. Some already practicing farmers
and researchers and others holding up ministerial appointment in government
which is very commendable.
On
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 Africa’s first youth forum on agroecology was held
in a village called Kpele – Tsiko under a serene atmosphere.
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| Figure 2: A Sessions in the forest |
For
agriculture to be successful, we need to consider sustainable intensification.
I have always been in love with the definition of agriculture by Marcus Terentius Varro – who said: “agriculture
is a science, which teaches us which crops are to be planted in each kind of
soil, and what operations are to be carried on, in order that the land may
produce the highest yields in perpetuity”.
In
my opinion, there is little likelihood of significantly more arable land
becoming available, yet you and I know we have to approximately double food
production by 2050 if we can feed the one billion hungry population. Without
getting more production out of our existing, food security will continue to be
a yoke very heavy to drop. This would have to be sustainable and very much
dependent on human ingenuity.
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| Figure 3: JVE International local and foreign members cheerful |
So
what do you also make of this? Lets get involved to free ourselves from food
dependency and resource gathering. Trust me the need for ‘Marshall strategies
for agroecology’ is now or never. Hope to hear from you soon what you are doing
or will be doing in the next days ahead.
We
can feed the world! Kudos to JVE International, keep up the good work.
Written
by:
Nana Darko
Ghana
REJOPRAO
(Journalist Network for Responsible and Sustainable Fisheries in West Africa)
