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Agroecology is a scientific discipline, movement and a practice related to sustainable agriculture, that had been mainly developed in the U.S., and in Latin America. The concept is also applied in West Africa recently. Agroecology as an agricultural strategy refers to the techniques of farming that is environmentally friendly, organic or alternative agriculture and applies traditional agricultural practices in developing countries. The strategy has been introduced to African countries, and is especially practiced in West Africa recently.

Background

History

Emergence of Agroecology

Agroecology as a concept first emerged during the 1930s, was expanded as a discipline of science during the 1970s and 1980s, and was institutionalized in the 1990s. There has been an increasing number of publications related to agroecology since the 2000s. Agroecology as a movement was especially developed in the US and in Latin America, in reconsideration of the relationship between agriculture and the society. In 2018, FAO published a report for scaling up agroecology initiative globally, to meet the agenda of SDG 2, Zero Hunger. [ELABORATE ON HOW IT IS SPREADING IN AFRICA]

Green Revolution

[OPPOSITE OF AGROECOLOGY BUT WAS A POPULAR MOVEMENT PROMOTED BY WB, IMF]

Organizations

ROPPA

ROPPA, which stands for Réseau des organisations paysannes et de producteurs de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, meaning "Network of West African Farmer Organizations and Agricultural Producers" is an initiative specific to farmers and agricultural producers in West Africa, launched in Cotonou, June 2000. The purpose of the organization is the improvement of rural family's working conditions and the protection and advocacy of small farms which are the main structure of agricultural production in West Africa.The organization also aims to influence policies that enhance liberalization of the economy and socioeconomic development in West Africa, based on socially and environmentally sustainable agriculture, sustainable management of natural resources, and decent incomes and jobs in rural areas. ROPPA address the issues in the current agricultural industry in West Africa as lack of long-term funding to support the improvement of production, lack of decent income for production thus not enough pressures on the use of natural resources, lack of decent socio-economic infrastructures in the rural areas, and the need to work on the capacity building of farmers.

The main principles of operation are

• Achieve peasant solidarity through the inclusion of all categories of peasant organizations and agricultural producers in the member states and support their recognition of identity, their rights and roles.
• Consensus is the preferred method of decision making.
• Maintain transparency by reporting and updating mandates regularly.

ROPPA published in June 2016, their vision on the "Capitalization of Economic and Agroecological Initiatives from Farmers Organizations in Africa", in which they stated their priorities to be

1. Promotion of local products and local consumption.
2. Establishing the structure that benefits the weakest stakeholders in the value chains, such as small family farms and female farmers.
3. Agroecological intensification.
4. Financial support and intermediation of family farms and capacity building of farmers.

There are 13 member national farmer organizations including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Bissau Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, and 2 associated member farmer organizations from Cap-Verde and Nigeria.