Mr. Samuel Robert Kwasari, a Technical Officer at Be the Help Foundation (BHF), have emphasized the importance for smallholder farmers across the continent to bolster their resilience against the impacts of the climate crisis through the adoption of Regenerative Agriculture (RA). He described RA as a holistic farming approach that not only enhances water and air quality but also fosters ecosystem biodiversity, produces nutrient-dense food, and aids in carbon storage, thereby mitigating the effects of climate change.
Speaking at a regional media engagement event on Agro-ecology and climate justice organized by ActionAid Nigeria, Mr. Kwasari elaborated on how RA involves community-based food production systems, which empower communities to access fresh and nutritious foods, particularly in underserved areas. The engagement, conducted under the Strategic Partnerships for Agro-ecology and Climate Justice in West Africa (SPAC-West Africa) project, aimed to enhance the knowledge of climate change and agriculture reporters from various parts of the continent on agro-ecology and climate justice.
The recent release of the 2024 seasonal forecasts on Agro-hydro-climatic characteristics of the major rainy season in the Gulf of Guinea Countries further recommended the adoption of RA by farmers. The forecasts predicted a rainfall deficit in the coastal areas of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria during the major rainy season.
Mr. Kwasari emphasized that RA represents a reliable farming method that could significantly contribute to food security and poverty reduction in rural areas. He highlighted how these systems aim to liberate smallholder farmers from dependency on external inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, thereby minimizing input costs. “Invest once and harvest throughout the year and lifelong,” he added.
Mr. Azubike Nwokoye, the Deputy Country Director and Food and Agriculture Programme Manager at ActionAid Nigeria, underscored the importance of farmers embracing RA to address major challenges, including the reliance on chemical fertilizers. He emphasized how RA employs nature-based solutions to address degraded soils and promote sustainability.
Mr. Donald Ikenna, Program Coordinator at Heinrich Boell Foundation Nigeria, highlighted the negative effects of agricultural inputs like pesticides, particularly on poor and vulnerable communities in countries with less stringent enforcement mechanisms. He cited WHO estimates, indicating millions of pesticide poisoning cases annually among agricultural workers, resulting in thousands of fatalities, primarily in developing nations.
Ikenna pointed out a significant increase in pesticide imports into Africa over the last five years, particularly in West Africa, which has doubled from 2015 to 2020. Despite this surge in pesticide use, the prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition has not improved, indicating the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices like RA.
