Ghana hosted the Agroecological Strategies for Resilient Farming in West Africa (CIRAWA) Conference in Accra, from July 1-3, an international event fostering nature-based solutions for sustainable food systems.
The three-day Conference brought together partners from Ghana, Cape Verde, Senegal, The Gambia, and Europe, to foster dialogue and collaboration on agroecological transition, especially in West Africa.
The participants, comprising policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners, engaged in discussions and workshops meant to advance agroecological solutions for sustainable food systems.
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who opened the Conference, said Ghana was excited to host the event as it provided opportunities to share knowledge and experiences on agroecological practices in Africa, she said.
“I believe this Conference is timely, and I am confident that it will produce useful outcomes that move food and agriculture across our continent towards greater resilience and sustainability,” she noted.
The Vice President, in a speech read on her behalf, said Ghana was implementing a four-year agricultural transformation programme under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, designed to support the promotion of agroecology.
Among other things, the Government is supporting crop diversification, agroforestry, improved soil fertility and management, the production and use of biofertilizers, farmer-led irrigation, as well as the local production of high-yielding seed varieties.
“Building on these commitments, there is the need for a national agroecology strategy, alongside comprehensive training for agricultural research and extension personnel in agroecological approaches,” the Vice President said.
She expressed optimism that the conference would lead to broader transformation of food systems while contributing to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We must move away from the systems that are not delivering the results we need but we must also be clear about where we are moving to,” she advised.
Agricultural economists say new sustainability standards, biodiversity targets, and circular economy principles are reshaping global agricultural value chains.
Professor Saa Dittoh, an Agricultural Development and Food Systems Economist, University for Development Studies (UDS), and Ghana Coordinator of CIRAWA, said the event focused on the opportunities, barriers, and practical pathways for scaling up agroecology.
That, he said, was in tandem with the objectives of the EU-funded CIRAWA project, urging West African nations to adopt viable agroecological strategies in their national development agenda.
Mr Raúl Sánchez, Head of Natural Resources and Climate Area at CARTIF, Coordinator of the CIRAWA Project, highlighted its vision of promoting agroecology and nature-based solutions for sustainable farming systems.
“The first day already showed the strength of collaboration between African and European partners, combining scientific knowledge, local experience and practical solutions to support resilient farming systems in West Africa,” he noted.
Mr Edmond Moukala, Head of UNESCO’s office in Accra, described the conference as a “historic junction where policy, science, and ancestral wisdom converge to address one of today’s most urgent challenges: how to feed people while restoring the planet.”
Dr Jacques Somda, the Country Director, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Burkina Faso, said it was imperative to build on existing local knowledge and innovations to create more resilient food supply chains in the sub-Region.
West Africa is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, with farming systems heavily dependent on rainfall and dominated by small-scale subsistence producers.
Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and the spread of arid and semi-arid zones threaten harvests, livelihoods, nutrition, and social stability.
Heavy dependence on external inputs like seeds and fertilizers also leaves farmers exposed to global supply fluctuations.
Consequently, one of CIRAWA’s main aims is to boost agricultural autonomy with circular systems such as compost and biogas innovations.
