Niaguis at the heart of agroecology: rural women are leading African food sovereignty

In Niaguis, Casamance, the fifth edition of the International Training Camp in Peasant Agroecology (CIFAP) has brought together leaders, technicians, and facilitators from ten West African countries for a week-long event. Organized by the Pan-African Movement We Are the Solution, this gathering has established itself as a unique space for knowledge transfer, capacity building, and mobilization around a vital issue: African food sovereignty.

Mariama Sonko, president of the movement, emphasized that agroecology is a comprehensive and interconnected practice. Having previously focused on land revitalization, biofertilizers, horticultural seeds, and bioprotective agents, CIFAP is dedicating this fifth edition to livestock farming. "Livestock farming is an ancestral activity that must be passed on to new generations. It guarantees healthy, nutritious, and economically viable food," she stated, stressing the central role of women in poultry farming.

Faced with the high cost of meat and the health risks associated with imported chickens, she advocated for a return to local breeds, which are healthier and better suited to the realities of the communities.

Tabara Ndiaye, coordinator of the regional funds for agroecology in Africa, praised the importance of CIFAP as a platform for building movements. She noted that the Agroecology Fund acts as a bridge between donors and grassroots organizations, facilitating access to financing and supporting communities in achieving food sovereignty. “Produce here to consume here: that’s the key to sustainable food systems,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of ownership by women and youth.

The highlight of the ceremony was the address by Idy Gomel Ba, deputy sub-prefect of Niaguis, who delivered a powerful speech. "Looking at you, I see the face of a strong Africa, an Africa that nourishes its people, rejects dependence, and chooses sovereignty," he declared. For him, small-scale livestock farming is "gold in your hands," a guarantee of children's health and a driving force for women's financial independence. He urged the participants to become "ambassadors for a sovereign and prosperous Africa," returning to their respective countries with the knowledge they had acquired.

At the end of this fifth edition of CIFAP, one thing is certain: peasant agroecology is not simply an alternative, but a solution for the future. By valuing traditional knowledge, strengthening local capacities, and placing women at the center, Niaguis has established itself as a symbol of the African agroecological transition. Here, in the heart of Casamance, an Africa is taking shape that chooses to feed its children with dignity, health, and sovereignty. This text highlights Niaguis as a symbolic place, the International Training Camp in Peasant Agroecology (CIFAP) as a structuring framework, and the intervention of the sub-prefect of Niaguis as an institutional voice that legitimizes the approach.