A Stakeholders Brief on AMCEN@40
From Ground Realities to Global Policy: Positioning Agroecology at the center of AMCEN’s 40-Year Vision
At its 40th milestone, AMCEN stands at a political and ecological inflection point. Climate volatility, land degradation, and rural inequality continue to deepen across the continent, yet existing responses remain fragmented. This brief argues that agroecology is not simply a farming system, but a political strategy to rebalance power over land, restore ecological functions, and democratize rural development. The brief makes a compelling case that agroecology enhances resilience, reduces input dependency, and strengthens household food security. Still, its implementation across Africa remains scattered, often confined to donor-led pilot projects without legal or institutional scaffolding. AMCEN’s 20th Ordinary Session offers a historic moment to embed agroecology not at the periphery but at the heart of Africa’s food and climate policies.
The brief outlines five policy fronts for moving agroecology from innovation to institution. First, it calls for a Pan-African Agroecology Knowledge Platform to anchor technical, social, and financial evidence across member states. Second, it urges that agroecology be explicitly integrated into national climate plans, biodiversity strategies, and agricultural budgets. Third, the brief proposes a Regional Agroecology Transition Facility to ensure women-led cooperatives and smallholder groups gain direct access to concessional finance. Fourth, it introduces the idea of Agroecology-Energy Hubs; community-run systems that convert agro-waste into clean fuel while restoring soils and livelihoods. Lastly, it insists on gender accountability in all agroecological programs, aligning with Agenda 2063.
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A Green Revolution, Powered by the People for the Planet
The true revolutionaries in Agroecology are the traditional knowledge keepers; farmers, elders, and traditional leaders, who are boldly reclaiming food systems with peasant wisdom and sustainable practices. They are not just preserving their traditional farming practices, they are restarting a movement that is replanting the seeds of food sovereignty, biodiversity, climate resilience and a return to the roots of sustainable living.
Science Meets Tradition in the Fields
Blending traditional farming with scientific innovations, these farmers are revolutionizing agroecology through community science. From Ghana to Côte d'Ivoire, farmers and scientists are joining forces, pooling knowledge to build more resilient, biodiverse, and sustainable food systems.
A Green Revolution, Powered by the People for the Planet
At the heart of this uprising is the Yalitia 2024 Workshop in Côte d'Ivoire, where farmers exchange seeds, stories, and science. Traditional methods, like using neem trees and Mexican sunflower for pest control, are proving to be as powerful as modern agro-tech solutions.
This movement is about more than farming, it is about restoring balance. Agroecologists are showing that when science respects tradition, we can grow a food system that feeds both the people and the planet, without sacrificing culture or biodiversity.
Read more HERE
SCALE-West Africa
Scaling-up Climate Action, Leadership, and Engagement Framework
The Scaling-up Climate Action, Leadership, and Engagement (SCALE-West Africa) Framework is designed to tackle climate action by fostering collaboration among governments, communities, and private sectors. This framework aims to accelerate climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in the region by leveraging global climate finance and driving sustainable development initiatives. The overarching goal is to build climate resilience and reduce vulnerability through a multi-actor approach that emphasizes collective action and leadership.
Key Calls to Action
SCALE-West Africa advocates for six core actions to address climate challenges: (1) securing transparent and accountable climate finance, (2) accelerating energy transitions to renewable sources, (3) promoting agroecology with a rights-based, gender-inclusive focus, (4) achieving land degradation neutrality, (5) restoring degraded forests, and (6) improving cooling efficiency through the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program. These calls to action urge West African leaders to take decisive steps to safeguard the region's future.
Governance and Partnerships
SCALE-West Africa operates through a collaborative structure, involving a Reference Group, Research and Knowledge Hub, Training and Capacity Building Unit, and Policy and Advocacy Unit. These units ensure effective project governance, informed decision-making, and impactful advocacy. The framework also relies on partnerships with CSO networks, academic institutions, national policy agencies, and international organizations, to drive systemic change and foster regional cooperation in West Africa.