[Français ci-dessous] In Nigeria, the fifth and last conference organized by the caravan team took place at the headquarters of IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) in Ibadan, with the participation of the ministry of agriculture, academics from IITA and universities, extensionists, farmers’ representatives and NGOs. We have also offered open classes in a high…
[Français ci-dessous] The fifth and last conference organized by the food systems caravan took place in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) conference hall in Ibadan, Nigeria. The conference had around 100 participants and counted with the presence of representatives from the: IITA; Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Oyo State Ministry of…
[Français ci-dessous] The caravan team visited the Dominican Centre for Human Resources Development in Ibadan, which is developing a 30 hectare eco-organic farm inspired by the Songhai project’s integrated agroecological model in Benin. A session about sustainable agriculture was organized in the centre, where members of the caravan team and invited guests gave short presentations…
[Français ci-dessous] Around 30 students from the Lead City International School in Jericho, Ibadan, participated in the open class organized by the caravan team, along with two of their teachers. The presentations focused on the need of changing our food systems and making them more sustainable through the application of agroecological principles and taking into…
[Français ci-dessous] Benin is a beautiful and laid back country and the hospitality of its people made it hard for us to leave! Our team was lucky to have the support of a great local team working at INRAB (Institut National de Recherche Agricole du Bénin). We were fascinated by the number of agroecology related…
The caravan team has met and interviewed Professor Jeanne Zoundjihekpon, leader of the ecological genetics laboratory at the Abomey-Calavi University and active member of Federation of Agroecology of Benin (FAEB). Professor Jeanne spoke of the importance of agro-biodiversity and the threats that the corporate promotion of GMO seeds represent for local food systems. Professor Jeanne…
[Français ci-dessous] The caravan visited the remarkable Songhai project, in Porto-Novo, Benin. Also referred as the Songhai movement by its founder and director, Godfrey Nzamujo, the project has become one of the main references in West Africa in what comes to the development of endogenous agroecological approaches adapted to local food systems, through merging modern…
[Français ci-dessous] The caravan passed in the communities of Aplahoe and Bohicon, in Benin, to visit farmers working with the project Insect as Feed for West Africa (IFWA). In the last five years, IFWA’s transdisciplinary team has developed, tested and disseminated sustainable techniques to produce insects to feed poultry and fish, such as the production…
[Français ci-dessous] The caravan team gave an open class about agroecology and the contributions of research for development to make food systems more sustainable at the University of Abomey-Calavi, in Cotonou, Benin. The class counted with the presence of around 45 students from agronomy and food sciences but also other disciplines such as engineering. Four…
[Français ci-dessous] The fourth conference organized by the food systems caravan and our local partners INRAB and the IFWA project was held in Cotonou, Benin. The event counted with the participation of around 80 academic and non-academic actors, such as representatives from NGOs, the private sector and public institutions. The title of the conference was…