By Chemtai Kirui
Masudio Margaret Eberu, a female farmer from Adjumani district in northern Uganda, divides her time between farming, leading a women-led group called Africa Women’s Collaborative for a Healthy Food System, and providing training on farmer field school.
“When someone asks, ‘What is agroecology farming?’, I refer to the traditional practices that we have been doing, such as intercropping, crop rotation, mulching, and using organic manure. For instance, cow dung can be applied to the garden, and if the plants are affected by pests or diseases; I can use ash or a mixture of neem leaves, chili, and garlic to spray.” Eberu said during the Interview, noting that “These are the principles of agroecology that we use in our daily practices.”
Like many Women farmers, Eberu wears many hats and yet her efforts in the agricultural sector can easily go unrecognized. Despite the critical role that women play in food production — barriers stand in the way of their empowerment.
At the First Eastern Africa Agroecology conference in Nairobi, farmers, researchers, civil society organizations, and government representatives from the region, gathered to discuss key issues facing agriculture in the area, including women’s empowerment, recognition, and financial support.
“We need to converse more about the young people and the women being involved in the agriculture sector and how they can benefit from Agriculture and it’s not just benefiting for the sake of it, but being meaningfully engaged. We want to talk about the root causes of vulnerabilities that they are experiencing.” said Dr. Monica Nderitu, Regional Environment and Climate Change advisor at VI Agroforestry.
‘’Investing in the value chain is crucial when it comes to empowering women and young people to engage in agriculture-related activities.’’ she said, adding that “If we can trace the produce along the value chain from the production all the way to the market, there are a lot of things that the youths will be able to undertake.”
I want to believe that this is part of what is considered — green jobs. We can look for green jobs within the agriculture sector and have our young people get more involved and reduce unemployment.'”
At the Agroecology Conference, Nderitu, discussed how agroecology and sustainable livelihoods can empower women and youth in East Africa.
She noted that farmer-based organizations training on human rights-based and gender-transformative approach is helping young people and women gain decision-making capacities and be engaged in boards and management seats.
Rosinah Mbenya, the country coordinator at Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Kenya, echoed Dr. Nderitu’s sentiments, stating that youth and women involvement are key issues when it comes to agriculture.
“Women and Youths are vital actors in our food systems, and we must move forward together.” Said Mbenya, adding that, “It’s important to consider their rights, not just in the present but also for tomorrow. We have a generation that needs a secure future.”
Mbenya, who spoke at a side event of the Agroecology conference under the theme ‘Agroecology for Resilient Food Systems’, acknowledged the number of research supporting agricultural systems from universities and farmer-led methods.
“I am pleased that science shows agriculture can efficiently feed Africa and Kenya,” she said, urging the stakeholders to support smaller farmers during transition to ensure their success, especially during input challenges.
“Farmers are custodians of knowledge and understanding of the environment they operate on, and they should be recognized as key researcher scientists,” stakeholders say.
Take an example of Shamika Mone, a farmer from India and the president of Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organizations, who spoke at the conference about the role of farmers’ movements in promoting Agroecology in the Global South.
Mone said that “Farmers possess valuable knowledge about the land, the crops, and the environment they operate on and that should be considered in policymaking and research.”
A sentiment that was supported by Eberu’s work in the grassroots.
Eberu and other members of Africa Women’s Collaborative for a Healthy Food System, conducted research on the nutritional value of neglected and underutilized food crops.
“We have carried out research on seeds that are drought-resistant, disease-resistant, and high-yielding.” She said, noting that the group conducted the research on the nutritional value of neglected and underutilized food crops, such as; Sorghum and Millet.
“As a smallholder farmer, I witnessed the challenges that women face in finding quality seeds for planting and the consequences of food insecurity when there is a shortage. When the government-supplied seeds failed to germinate, we had to look for alternatives.
That’s how the idea of exploring neglected food species in the wild came about. We conducted research on these seeds to make them available to our community,” explained Eberu.
Eberu also believes that preserving food using local methods like sun drying and smoking is healthier and more sustainable than modern methods. She advocates for the use of indigenous seeds, which are more sustainable and cost-effective.
Traditional or indigenous seed is a sustainable part of organic farming, something that Monica Navasa, from Slow Food Uganda, knows very well.
Navasa, who was among the impressive number of youthful attendees showcasing their work at the conference, highlighted the importance of promoting biodiversity and traditional seeds to achieve improved nutrition and mitigate climate change.
Navasa emphasized that traditional seeds are more sustainable and cost-effective for farmers, as they can be replanted each season without having to constantly buy new seeds.
“Traditional seeds do not require synthetic chemicals, which can harm the soil and pollinators,” Navasa said, stressing the importance of preserving and sharing traditional seeds through programs such as Slow Food Gardens.
Navasa explained that their planting approach does not involve monoculture but rather intercropping, where different types of seeds are planted together. This method effectively reduces pests and diseases, and crop rotation is practiced maintaining soil fertility, making it easier to manage.
Soil health and soil testing are key foundation of the food system network that Dr. Nderitu and Mbenya, spoke about.
Nderitu said that, VI Agroforestry’s message to farmers is to understand the importance of soil and water conservation practices to achieve sustainable and profitable crop production.
“By testing their soil to ensure that the soil is not too acidic and to see that the soil nutrients are not deficient for optimum crop health and productivity, farmers can increase their productivity and food security, especially in arid regions where water conservation is vital.” Nderitu said.
Dr. Nderitu urged farmers to test their soil and work towards building its fertility by implementing techniques like mulching and composting.
Agroforestry, she said, is not only beneficial for improving soil health but also for increasing food security. It supports the farmers to improve the soil for greater crop yields.
“Farmers need to test and measure their soil before applying inputs—as healthy soils result in good food and resilient crops that can resist pests and diseases.” urged Mbenya.
She also highlighted the important role of agriculture in transitioning to a climate-resilient food system.
“We need to bring more farmers on board and educate them on climate issues, as agriculture not only adapts but also contributes to mitigation,” she emphasized.
With various conversations centering on ways to empower women farmers from East Africa along the value chain, the issue of cross-border trade was discussed to elaborate on marketing and trade in Africa.
“African Union recognizes the significant role of Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) trade, markets, and the economy for the agricultural sector in Africa,” said Diana Akullo Ogwal, the Principal Officer of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) department of Trade in Goods and Competition, during her presentation at the Agroecology conference.
She said, “We need to prioritize EOA and comply with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) to boost Africa’s market movement within the region with no taxation.”
Ogwal emphasized the importance of EOA and complying with the AFCFTA to enhance cross-border trade. She noted that informal trade accounts for 30% of intra-African cross-border trade, with women constituting about 60-70% of informal traders.
The third year of tariff reduction started early in 2023 (January), with Kenya and Ethiopia among the member groups of the Global Trade Integration (GTI).
While the ease of business within Africa is a step forward towards empowering small holder in the region, Milka Chepkorir, the coordinator of community land action now (CLAN) cautioned the Agroecology stakeholders, against putting money first in the Organic Farming.
“The value addition of indigenous practices should not be based solely on monetary value but rather on the well-being of the people and nourishment, not just the addition to the Gross domestic product (GDP).”
“For us to truly understand and appreciate sustainable agroecological practices, we need to respect and recognize the indigenous communities who have been living this way for generations.” Chepkorir emphasized, noting that, the indigenous community have been living sustainably for a long time before scientific findings caught up.
She stressed that traditional ways of living for nomadic farmers allow regenerative and sustainable practices within their environment. However, the lack of research on the indigenous community — leads to a limited understanding of how their way of living aligns with sustainable practices.
Stakeholders at the First Eastern Africa Agroecology conference agreed on the need to mainstream agroecology and transform food systems for responsible production, consumption, and social well-being. Implementing sustainable agriculture can address acute food insecurity in the region, which the World Food Program reports has affected 22 million people, including 5.1 million children suffering from malnutrition in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
Kenya faces a particularly dire situation, with nearly one million malnourished children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) statistics, reveals that the agricultural sector contributes approximately 33 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employs more than 40 percent of the total population, and provides jobs for 70 percent of the rural population.”
“Empowering women in agriculture, will create a more sustainable, healthy, and equitable food system.” said Eberu, who is also a board member of ESAFF Uganda.
“This report was developed with the help of ESAFF Uganda through the Agroecology School for Journalists and Communicators.”