Diversity in Africa

The ACB is active in playing an effective role in protecting Africa's biodiversity, traditional knowledge, food production systems, culture and diversity, from the threats posed by genetic engineering and biopiracy.

COPAGEN is a broad coalition of national and regional organisations which resists the introduction of GM crops and food. To do this, COPAGEN?s members provide information on what is really happening in Francophone Africa through educational materials and information on the rights of local communities and farmers and laws on access to biological resources. Farmers are also resisting, and this is particularly evident in Mali, with regular demonstrations against the introduction of GM crops.

An alliance of social movements has taken the initiative of organising an international meeting on food sovereignty in Mali in February 23-27, 2007. Food sovereignty promotes the development of alternative production, distribution and consumption models based on a new logic, far removed from that of neo-liberalism, which gives a central role to international markets and the liberalisation of trade, and which asserts that only international markets can solve the problem of food insecurity.

L?objectif à long terme de la CNOP est d?edifier un mouvement paysan national crédible porteur de la promotion socio-économique durable des exploitations famialiales et des producteurs agricoles à travvers une agriculture paysanne bien inserrée dans le contexte du developpement national sous-régional et international.

Biowatch South Africa was established in 1997 as a national non-governmental organisation to publicise, monitor and research issues of genetic modification and promote biological diversity and sustainable livelihoods. Biowatch rural offices work with small scale farmers on sustainable agriculture, food and seed security and farmers? rights.

Ensuring safe food for all is a critical element of the consumer agenda. Since its establishment, Consumers International (CI) has worked with its members to achieve this goal, campaigning on a wide range of food issues including baby food, biotechnology, pesticide use and food irradiation.

CTDT is dedicated to contribute towards enhanced food security through sustainable use of agrobiodiversity by involving smallholder farmers in participatory research and development.

PELUM is a civil society organisations working with local communities in the areas of sustainable agriculture and resource management in different countries in east and southern Africa. The PELUM basic project is to build self organized communities.

Ghanaian journalist, Hannah Zemp-Tapang, was asked to document experiences in ecological farming in Northern Ghana. Here she presents some of her findings. According to Naa Yiryel, after a long period of using chemical fertiliser on their farms, they found that it did not give lasting fertility to the soil. When the government lifted the subsidy on fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, many farmers could no longer afford chemical fertiliser. For the first few years, they thought that the remains of the chemical fertiliser used during the previous years would help. But to their surprise, production was far lower than it had been in the years before chemical fertiliser was introduced. Read More

Der Botanische Garten von Papatia liegt in unmittelbarer Nähe mehrerer Fulbe-Gehöfte und basiert auf dem traditionellen Heilpflanzenwissen der Ethnie der Fulbe. Dank einer effizienten Zusammenarbeit von Universitäten, Nicht-Regierungsorganisationen und lokaler Bevölkerung konnte der Garten nach nur einem halben Jahr Vorlaufzeit am 23. November 2001 im Beisein aller traditionellen und modernen Autoritäten mit einem großen Fest offiziell eröffnet werden.

In rural Rwandan areas, Banana beer is probably the widest spread alcoholic fruit drink. The visit to people who brew banana beer provides visitors with the opportunity to see and learn the processes needed for its production. From harvesting the bananas up to the drinking of the beer everything can be experienced. This experience will go on with the sharing out of this cultural speciality. One will be able to get the process in writing upon ordering.

The Batwa Community is the third ethnic group in Rwanda. These people were hunters and gatherers before they were removed from the National Natural Park when it was being established and are now trying to return to normal life. Their priority is to strengthen their cultural identity and traditions, in order to help them improve their way of life without being isolated from the other communities.

A travers l'ASPSP, nous contribuons à l?autonomie semencière des paysans sénégalais et à la sauvegarde des variétés locales et traditionnelles pour la Souveraineté Alimentaire. Nous produisons des semences, formons aux techniques de production et de conservation... Nous collectons les savoirs locaux auprès des anciens, organisons des foires. Nous échangeons nos variétés, valorisons la place des femmes dans la conservation des semences...

Les stratégies d?action de l?association sont : * la sensibilisation, l?éducation et la formation des populations sur la protection de l'environnement ; * le lobbying et le plaidoyer sur des questions de développement ; * l?initiation, l?appui et le suivi-évaluation de projets communautaires et de groupements de jeunes et de femmes, en milieu rural et urbain ; * la création des points de pépinières, le reboisement villageois et la promotion de l?agroforesterie ; * la réalisation de micro-projets de développement communautaire (construction d?écoles, de latrines publiques et de magasins de stockage) ; * la mise à la disposition du public d?un centre d?information et de documentation sur la protection de l?environnement et le développement durable...

COPAGEN est un réseau qui travaille en Guinée-Bissau et dans la sous-région d'Afrique de l´Ouest pour: la promotion d´un développement durable, la lutte contre l´introduction des OGM en Afrique et aussi a promotion des Droits des Communautés.

SEKEM is producing an extensive variety of high quality consumer products in the fields of natural pharmaceuticals, delicious organic food and beautiful textiles, information technology and ecological services. The products are made from ingredients from biodynamic farming. This method undertakes to restore and maintain the vitality of the soil and food as well as the biodiversity of nature. وتعني كلمة سيكم في أصلها الفرعوني "الحيويَة"

My name is Romain Abilé HOUEHOU, I come from Benin (West Africa). I am the President of the League for the Defence of the Consumer in Benin (LDCB). The LDCB is a consumer association working on protecting the interests and defending the rights of the consumer in Benin. In this context, the issue of Food Security is highly considered. The problem of GMO has been a subject for some campaigns carried out by my organisation and is still being discussed in my country; advocacy for food affordability, good consumer environment and food sustainability is part of our activities. Regarding all this, the question of diversity is fully highlighted. Presently, the question of food affordability is the big challenge because of the food high price in Benin and surrounding countries due to international speculation and the misuse of agriculture for agro-fuel. The fundamental concern that stands about this problem is the strategy a consumer association can use to tackle the situation and influence the government decision making process. Another challenge is the question of GMO that remains very controversial in my country with regard to the impact on the environment and the right of poor farmers. For the time being, a new moratorium has been enacted for 5 years by the government to prohibit the import and commercialisation of any GMO products on Benin territory. Participating to Planet Diversity would be an important occasion to share experiences on what had been done in my country, make some proposals to some fellow participants. But, in return, I can acquire new tools and new strategies in tackling and participating to government decision making process in Benin as far as food high price is concerned and new analysis about GMO.

PRABIOC est un groupe de praticiens en agriculture biologique installés dans plusieurs régions du Sénégal autour de fermes paysannes. Son objectif est la promotion de l'agriculture biologique au Sénégal à travers des fermes diversifiées qui gèrent la biodiversité cultivée locale et diffuse ses expériences aux communautés rurales et terroirs villageois.

Les activités de ARCADE concernent la promotion de l?éthique et de la citoyenneté pour l?enracinement de la bonne gouvernance et de l?éthique de vie démocratique (organisation de forums et de débats contradictoires), enquêtes sur les bases progressistes de la culture nationale, formation informatique de néo alphabétisés, formations et renforcement de capacité de leaders paysans et ouvriers (cheminots), promotion des expériences de développement alternatif.

Save the Rural Society (SRS) is an indigenous non profit making, non political, non religious and non government organization established with the aim to improve the livelihoods of the rural communities in general and the pastoralists and agro pastoralists in particular of the Somali Region. SRS was effectively founded in 1999 and registered with the Ministry of Justice in 2003. The Organisation has performed number of projects like water and sanitation, lively hood development projects in pastoralist areas in Ethiopia specially in Somali regional state and the founder of this organization is the founder of Somali pastoralist development forum.

La SYNERGIE PAYSANNE (SYNPA) est une Organisation Paysanne à vocation syndicale créée en 2002 par un groupe de jeunes agriculteurs béninois désireux de mette les agriculteurs au centre des grands défis du monde rural que sont la sécurité alimentaire, l?accès aux ressources de production et la participation réelle des paysans aux prises de décision. SYNPA poursuit un triple objectif : ? Edifier une organisation représentative des producteurs et productrices du Bénin : - Qui mène des actions de lobbying et de plaidoyer au niveau de la commune, du département et de l?Etat - Qui participe aux campagnes internationales sur les thématiques de l?accès aux ressources de production. ? Renforcer les capacités de ses membres à comprendre les enjeux de l?agriculture en conduisant des programmes de sensibilisation, d?information et de formation pour une agriculture familiale durable. Son action est fondée sur les stratégies suivantes : ? Etudes et recherches : effectuer et diffuser des analyses thématiques approfondies sur les problématiques du milieu rural dans le contexte national et international ? Campagnes d?opinion : développer des actions de lobbying et de plaidoyer thématiques fondée sur ces analyses, aux niveau local et national.

The Department of Agricultural Research is composed of 3 divisions namely Arable crops, Animal Production and Range and Division of support services. The mandate of the department is to generate improved crop and livestock production technologies through research to promote a productive and sustainable agricultural sector. Arable crops division is responsible for developing and adapting technologies in the area of cereal breeding, horticulture, oil seeds and grain legume, soil chemistry and physics, farm machinery development and Plant Protection.

Wouol est une association de développement réunissant 46 groupements de producteurs agricoles et d?unités de transformation regroupant 2000 membres ruraux dont 70% de femmes. La plupart des produits wouol sont certifiés biologiques et équitables. Sa philosophie est de proposer une alternative à la reconversion des valeurs sociales liées aux tendances économiques qui gouvernent le monde actuel et, cela, à travers sa devise Solidarité, Dynamisme et Développement. Offrir un modèle de développement centré sur la réalité de la société rurale en respectant le savoir local et en favorisant une juste répartition des fruits des activités réalisées.

Le réseau d?appui à la citoyenneté des femmes rurales d?Afrique de l?Ouest et du Tchad(RESACIFROAT) est un réseau de compétences engagées pour appuyer et accompagner les associations de femmes rurales dans leur lutte pour acquérir et faire exercer leurs droits et contribuer au développement durable de leurs pays et de l?Afrique de l?Ouest et du Tchad.

CENDEP is a grass roots organisation with mission is to assist and/or train local people in the domestication, sustainable production and marketing of Non Timber Forest Products and agricultural products of economic importance and in the sustainable management of natural resources. Its main areas of intervention are: a) Domestication of non timber forest products b) Promotion of Analogue Forestry and montane forest conservation c) Sustainable Agriculture and Jatropha Cultivation for Income Diversification d) Local economic development

In northwest Cameroon, farmers are constantly looking to earn extra income. Green Care, an environmental association based in the village of Shisong, runs several successful training programmes. The aim is to introduce sustainable agriculture in the region.

Les objectifs de Nature Tropicale ONG s'inscrivent dans un cadre didactique, éducatif, touristique et scientifique: a - Informer et éduquer le public sur la richesse de notre biodiversité par des supports audiovisuels. b - Sensibiliser le public au respect, à une meilleure gestion et à la protection de la diversité biologique. c - Transmettre aux communautés locales et surtout aux groupes vulnérables (femmes, jeunes) la passion pour la nature et les sciences naturelles tout en contribuant à la réduction de la pauvreté.

MISSIONS : RECHERCHE ET EDUCATION * Conservation and management of habitats of plant and forest genetic resources. * Ethnobotany and new crop development. * Management of traditional agroforestry systems * Ecological restoration of degraded areas * Ecophysiology and domestication of fodder plants. * Management of NTFPs * Management of protected areas (national parks, hunting zones, community areas) and Rangelands * Bio monitoring of wildlife * status of threatened plants and wildlife (Red List)

Danses traditionnelles, semences traditionnelles Les fêtes de la moisson donnent lieu au Togo à des manifestations vivantes avec des chants et danses traditionnelles. Face aux arguments qui justifient à tort l adoption des OGM comme une solution aux problèmes de la faim, des carences alimentaires en Afrique, le Programme écologique de l Association de Secours et d Orientation ? Lisungi TOGO (ASOL TOGO) veut profiter de ces rencontres festives des danses traditionnelles pour informer les populations sur les OGM et sur les avantages des semences traditionnelles dans le but de préserver une agriculture biologique et les inciter à barrer la route aux OGM (organismes génétiquement modifiés).

KAITE ist eine deutsch?simbabwische Initiative. Unser Ziel ist es, durch innovative Partnerschaften Kleinbauern in Simbabwe zu stärken. Unser Fokus liegt auf ökologischem Landbau, denn nur eine nachhaltige Landwirtschaft ist in der Lage, langfristig die Lebensgrundlage aller Beteiligten zu sichern.

The Christian Care Food Security and Nutrition programme will focus on promoting better farming and land use systems that improve productivity. This will involve addressing the question of resource depletion in communities through special focus on water and soil conservation techniques, appropriate cropping and land management systems that lead to sustainable resources utilization, training in alternative cropping systems.

Traditionally PELUM focused on helping small scale farmers to improve their performance in agricultural and natural resources management for seed and food security. Today the focus is to provide the small scale farmers with a strong voice which can be heard regionally and globally when decisions and policies are made that affect the small scale farmer?s livelihood and it?s sustainability.

* Communes de Zogbodomey, Savè, Ouessè Secteurs d'intervention * Micro finance * Santé communautaire * Sécurité alimentaire * Consolidation de la société civile (Education civique)

Plate-forme Diobass au Kivu was established in 1994 as a mechanism for bringing together networks of farmers? organizations and community-based organisations, local nongovernmental development organisations, agricultural research centres and universities/colleges as well as individuals willing to develop together a practical inclusive and equitable process of co- development. Diobass aims at encouraging intensive exchanges between different social strata to build up a mixture expertise that takes into account the contributions from diverse social actors (farmers, scientists, technicians, etc.) working together to address concrete problems in rural areas.

Our Vision What moves and motivates us is the vision of a just, peaceful and diverse world, a future worth living for our children and grandchildren, in a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.

As a result of VETAID?s projects in Mozambique, food security and drought-preparedness for vulnerable farming families are improving. For example, through restocking, vaccination and treatment, the average chicken flock sizes per family have tripled, providing households with a cheap and easily manageable source of protein and income.

FoE Sierra Leone is a grassroots organization founded in 1989, the same year they joined FoEI. The organization has 25 local groups that promote environmental awareness, partly through their campaign on sustainable societies. FoE Sierra Leone also seeks to advance women and girls' roles in the sustainable management of resources. One example is the group's Intermediate Technology Centre, where villagers are trained in tailoring, typing, blacksmithing and toy making.

AFIJIO LOCAL GOVERNMENT`s Environmental Health Department : Is a department under the Local Government Council focuses on the improvement in the health of man and the world at large. To maintain good health balance in the world, the following programmes were drawn inorder to maintain adequate prevention and control of diseases such as Communicable and Non-Communicable diseases . General Environmental Sanitation: Such as Market Sanitation , Street Sanitation, Factory Sanitation and Sanitation of Food Premises.

ARCADE est une association citoyenne, laïque et apolitique, qui a pour objectifs: *de faciliter l?orientation des politiques et actions de développement dans un sens conforme aux aspirations des populations africaines ; *de valoriser les capacités endogènes et de renforcer les capacités des communautés de base, notamment les jeunes et les femmes ainsi que les couches vulnérables ou défavorisées, en matière d?analyse, d?orientation et de mise en ?uvre de leurs projets de développement; *de renforcer les capacités des leaders et décideurs, en vue de contribuer à l?élaboration de stratégies de développement alternatif *de promouvoir l?unité des peuples du Sénégal, d?Afrique et du monde, grâce entre autres, au développement du partenariat local, africain et international au profit du développement endogène et durable.

SCRIB est un groupe travaillant pour la promotion d?un système de communication, de recherche innovation en biodiversité ou SCRIB

We believe that an empowered and engaged civil society is a corner-stone of sustainability.... ... and so we see our primary role as building and supporting good, functioning and equal relationships between policy & decision-makers and those who are most affected by these decisions. Read the story:"Biodiversity and Rooibos"

Nous partons de l'hypothèse que l'amélioration de la communication en milieu rural et l'accès des populations aux informations stratégiques et aux connaissances techniques scientifiques et pédagogiques sont des conditions primordiales pour promouvoir l'auto organisation et l'auto-promotion. Ils contribueront au renforcement des capacités de mobilisation et d'intervention des organisations rurales et des divers groupes d'acteurs intervenant en milieu rural.

L'antenne Guinée de la coalition pour la protection du patrimoine génétique Africain, regroupe des acteurs de la société civile Guineenne dont des agriculteurs, professeurs d'université, sociologues et journalistes. Ses objectifs sont la protection du patrimoine génétique africain à travers des recherches, des plaidoyers, des communications et des actions de lobying auprès des partenaires, de l'Etat et des producteurs.

Mainly on cotton with over 1500 members,with National and District executive board. The current difficulties facing the cotton sub sector has led to a reduction of about 30% of population of cotton farmers in the three northern regions, while workers of some companies have been laid off. The growers' association is moving all out to ensure that government meets their demand of moving the industry forward. Top on the list of demands is the establishment of cotton seed unit with the support of savannah research institute to come out with good seed instead of farmers relying on Burkina Faso and Togo for 5th and 6th generation seed.

The Ye_Ethiopia Shemachoch Mahiber: YSM is a local consumer NGO, established very recently, in Decemebr 2007 but led by highly expreinced personalities on consumer activism. One of its main objectives are to promote reasoanble and sustainable production and consumption by linking farmers and consumers in Ethiopia and showing the available alternatives which can feed Ethiopia and Africa; and hence fight back GMOs from being introduced into the country mainly and Africa as well. Working towards fair trade and observation of consumers' rights are also among the objectives of YSM.

The mission of NGO SEMA is to provide professional services to rural communities for building skills in converting into organic farming and self-organizational capacities in achieving sustainable development hrough partnerships with all the stakeholders of development process (local residents, local authorities, local civil society groups, private businesses, donors and development organizations

PRONAT est partie intégrante de ENDA Tiers-Monde. C?est un programme d?actions en faveur du développement d?une agriculture africaine adaptée aux ressources et aux contraintes locales. PRONAT a pour mission de faire de la Recherche Action Formation et Information sur les problèmes de lutte par les moyens naturels contre les fléaux s'attaquant aux hommes, aux animaux et aux végétaux; tout en recherchant une productivité satisfaisante dans la durabilité des systèmes agricoles.

Forum for Environment (FfE) is a platform for environmental advocacy and communication among people concerned with the Ethiopian environment. FfE is an indigenous, non-profit, non-political and secular association of concerned individuals working towards environmental literacy, consciosness and accountability in Ethiopia. It was established in June 1997 by a group of people committed to the conservation and well being of the environment and people. FfE is governed by a Board of Management which is elected every two years comprisesing of seven persons who come from different walks of life and institutions. FfE has good truck record in organizing preparatory meettings for the Rio+10 Earth Summit that was held in South Africa in 2002. It served as a platform for the CSOs and NGOs in the country for this process.

L?Institut de Recherche et de Promotion des Alternatives en Développement (IRPAD), est une association à but non lucratif et à caractère scientifique et académique, qui fait la promotion des solutions alternatives de développement, issues de la recherche pour mieux les socialiser avec un plus grand nombre de femmes et d?hommes. IRPAD mène des activités de recherche et d?études scientifiques, techniques, sociologiques, pédagogiques dans les domaines de l?agriculture, de l?élevage, de la pêche, de l?arboriculture, de l?économie et du développement de la vie sociale au Mali et en Afrique. L?IRPAD a été formellement crée par des hommes et des femmes qui croient à l?Afrique et ayant des expériences professionnelles dans divers domaines. IRPAD est une structure à vocation Africaine. Il est le fruit de longues années de complicité entre les membres autour de différentes préoccupations de développement socio-économique du continent. IRPAD a comme objectifs : * Promouvoir la participation des populations dans la recherche, l?analyse, la conception et la mise en ?uvre des solutions répondant à leurs besoins, * Renforcer les capacités d?analyse et d?action des populations face aux décisions sociales, politiques et économiques tant sur le plan national que sur le plan africain.