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PRESS CONFERENCE OUR AFRICA OUR AGRICULTURE 1 SEPT 2022 FINAL
>> YOUR LINK HERE: ___ http://youtube.com/watch?v=IcllOzmedLY
Farmer leaders, Africa's largest civil society movement, and faith leaders are calling for an end to the Green Revolution, for donors to stop funding AGRA, and an end to the Green Revolution practices that are further driving climate change and harming the resilience of Africa's food systems. Instead, they call for donors and governments to shift resources towards supporting ecologically-sound, farmer and community-led solutions such as agroecology. • 00:00:00-00:01:36 Housekeeping notes, soft opening. • 00:01:37-00:03:50 Anne Maina’s official opening • Anne briefly sets the stage for why Africa’s largest civil society movement, faith leaders and farmer leaders are united in calling for an end to the Green Revolution. After 16 years, and over $1 billion in funding, AGRA’s target countries have seen increases in hunger by 31%. • 00:03:51-00:11:27 Leonida Odongo of Haki Nawiri calls for Afrocentric solutions, • in contrast to the policies and practices driven by AGRA. • 00:11:28-00:16:55 Ferdinand Wafula of Biogardenning Innovations (BIOGI) • In contrast to monoculture and chemical-driven agriculture, Ferdinand shares how ecologically-sound practices can revitalize soil health, improve fertility and protect ecosystems. • For more on farmer-led solutions such as Ferdinand's work at BIOGI see short video here (produced by A Growing Culture): • BIOGI KENYA • 00:16:55-00:18:15 Anne on the INKOTA report • The INKOTA report exposes how fertiliser dependencies are impacting Africa and the world, including nitrous oxide emissions (300 times more potent than CO2), long-term negative impacts on soil and water, their use in conjunction with monocultures chemical pesticides, etc... (and also huge multinational company profits) • INKOTA REPORT: https://webshop.inkota.de/node/1691 • 00:18:16-00:23:54 Anuradha Mittal speaks on the Development of Africa • And how the work of global financial institutions and the African Development Bank continues to profit multinational companies at the expense of smallholder farmers and the environment • 00:23:55-32:22 Gabriel Manyangadze of SAFCEI • SAFCEI (Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute) is a mosaic of Christians, Muslims, Bahai's, and a multitude of faith groups across the continent. Gabriel shares why faith leaders of many backgrounds are united in opposition to the Green Revolution. • “Industrial funding that depends on high chemical inputs and inorganic fertilisers is alien to Africa.” — Gabriel • 00:32:23-00:34:15 Re-iteration of key messages and transition to Q A • 00:34:16-00:38:15 Ferdinand on understanding ecosystems and measuring fertility • 00:38:04-00:39:28 Are inorganic fertilisers necessary to feed the world? • Anuradha Mittal of Oakland Institute responds, quickly weighs the evidence and impacts around fertilizer and input use. • On the impacts of fertilizer use in Africa: see INKOTA’s August 2022 report here: “Golden bullet or bad bet? New dependencies on synthetic fertilisers and their impacts on the African continent” https://webshop.inkota.de/node/1691 • 00:39:29-00:44:33 Anne and Leonida on Fertilizer subsidy programs • • 00:47:10-00:50:32 Gabriel further unpacks AGRA's lack of success, • AGRA's harmful impacts in reshaping agricultural/seed laws, and compares this with agroecological, community-led solutions • 00:51:23-53:25 Anuradha on the African Development Bank and other financial institutions - unpacking the problematic dynamic between these institutions and farmers, citizens in Africa. • 00:53:30-00:57:12 Synthetic inputs vs. Holistic approaches • Ferdinand compares the two, unpacks how synthetic inputs kill microorganisms in the soil, reduce soil quality and harm the ecological resilience of food systems. • 00:57:13-01:01:42 How can Indigenous/local practices benefit agricultural production? • 01:01:43-01:05:58 Anne’s powerful closing
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