By Maimuna Sey-Jawo
National Alliance for Agroecology, an initiative seeking to facilitate and contributes to the transition of food and agricultural systems, has been launched by the National Coordinating Organization for Farmers Association The Gambia at the NEMA conference hall in Abuko.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, president of the Association, Musa F Sowe, said: “Agro-ecology is an initiative that facilitate and contributes to the transition of food and agricultural systems that are environmentally sustainable, economically fair, viable and socially equitable.”
“It is an approach to Agriculture that reconciles environmental, sustainability and production goals by emphasizing the application of ecology concepts and principles to the design and management system,” he added.
According to him, the main purpose of the launching is to share information, develop integrated plan and coordinate mechanism for agro-ecology activities, which he said “to be aligned with other policy and strategy programme to support the overall national development agenda and by extension to share the roles of Farmers, and Farmers Organizations in the delivery of the initiatives at both national and regional levels.”
He thanked FAO and other partners for making the launching possible and for supporting NACOFAG all the time.
Representing FAO, Dr Mustapha Ceesay, said: “in January 2020, FAO was among a host of high- level institution that met in Dakar, Senegal to develop a comprehensive action plan that will enable real progress towards sustainable management of agro-ecology in West Africa.”
“In a number of potential partnership opportunities at the regional level were initiated, namely, the Ecowas Agroecology Programme, the FAO’s is calling up agroecology initiative and the knowledge centre for organic agriculture in Africa,” he added.
“Agroecology promotes sustainable and viable food system by applying ecological concepts and principle to optimize inactions between concepts plants, animal, human and the environment while taking into consideration social aspects,” he explained.
He said the launch of the national Alliance of agroecology by NACOFAG is indeed timely and relevant, adding that the FAO country office welcomes the initiative.
