Janneke Bruil

Today, in Dakar, Senegal starts the largest ever peer-to-peer workshop on National Agroecology Strategies (NAS). Across Africa, National Agroecology Strategies are being developed and launched to tap the benefits of agroecology for food security, biodiversity, soil regeneration and smallholder farmer incomes. Bringing together national policy makers and leaders in farmer-led and civil society organisations from 13 African nations, as well as funders and international policy experts & practitioners, the workshop is an exchange of lessons learned in going “From Strategy to Action.” Training farmers. Building markets. Succeeding with advocacy and partnerships.  This work is not easy! But valuable lessons and inspiration from colleagues can help. We will dig into: ✅  Strategies to ensure effective implementation of national plans. ✅  Multiple pathways to mobilizing national public resources in support of agroecology ✅   Understanding the financing landscape for agroecology, including new financing models that can support implementation of key actions in national strategies ✅   Introduction to RAFT, a donor consortia working to coordinate investments in Regenerative Agroecological Food Systems Transformation ✅    Examples of utilizing both national and landscape approaches to food system transformation ✅  Lessons for actions that can strengthen coordination across stakeholders and accelerate implementation of national strategies—including recent lessons from Tanzania & Kenya that are in implementation phase, utilizing different approaches to multistakeholder implementation ✅   Methods for gaining agreement on priority actions among stakeholders to increase focus and impact. ✅   And for each nation, a mapping of wins, challenges, opportunities and new tools useful for stakeholders We are all in the capable hands of moderator Dr Sharon Munyaka and the Biovision Foundation Policy and Advocacy Team, who are moderating, sharing lessons from National Agroecology Strategies across Africa, and facilitating the many breakout sessions. I am looking forward to my work here as part of this great team. We are starting today with a status on work for national strategies in all countries, from those in early stages to those implementing approved strategies. This exchange among practitioners is supported by partners in Biovision Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Agroecology Coalition. The pace continues after this workshop with “Catalyzing Collaborative Action” focusing on scaling agroecological enterprises in the supply chain. The Investment team at Biovision has brought together policy makers, leaders in agroecology, financiers & others on “Bridging Policy & Finance to implement National Agroecology Strategies and scale Agroecological Enterprises.” Then many participants move on to the African Food Systems Forum Summit, here in Dakar.   

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🌍🍽️ Transforming Food Systems Together: Key Takeaways from UNFSS+4 3,000 delegates met in Addis Ababa for UNFSS+4 to push for nutritious, affordable food for all while protecting the planet. 🌾💧 At a side event with Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) and BMEL, WHH shared how Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) can speed up action on climate, biodiversity, and desertification. Our key takeaways: ✅ Multi-Actor Platforms accelerate climate, biodiversity, and desertification action. ✅ Healthy soils drive zero hunger, resilience, and carbon storage—proven in Kenya with 180,000+ farmers. ✅ More dialogue, less monologue—civil society and traditional knowledge must be fully included. On stage, our colleague Josephine Thome, WHH Head of Programs in Kenya, shared insights from a decade-long land restoration initiative and emphasized her key message: "Transforming food systems isn’t a solo effort. Building trust takes time—you have to show up, listen, be transparent, and stay the course." 🔗 Read more about our takeaways: https://lnkd.in/eZciSZaR 📸 Mathias Mogge (CEO WHH), Sara Worku (Country Representative Ethiopia), and Lawrence Haddad CMG (Executive Director, GAIN). #UNFSS #FoodSystems #ZeroHunger

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Did You Know? #Africa’s food future depends on how well we listen to smallholder farmers and act on their insights. At the #APBAConf2025, I shared four reflections on where opportunities for better diets and nutrition lie. What are the key challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers in the adoption of new technologies across sub-Saharan Africa? Smallholders face real barriers: high cost, lack of credit, weak extension, and sometimes technologies that don’t fit their context. But there is opportunity. When we design solutions with farmers, not just for them, whether it’s biofortified seed, digital tools, or climate-smart practices, we unlock scale. Smallholders are not just beneficiaries; they are innovators. If we invest in affordability, access, and trust, adoption follows naturally. How can innovations in crop-livestock-agroforestry contribute to a more sustainable and resilient food sector? Integration is resilience. Crop-livestock-agroforestry systems recycle nutrients, diversify diets, and spread risk. They provide food, feed, fuel, and income while restoring soil and biodiversity. The opportunity is to move from isolated practices to integrated systems that meet both household needs and global sustainability goals. It’s not just farming; it’s a circular economy on the farm. What is the role of #FoodFortification in promoting healthy diets and improving nutrition - especially among the most vulnerable? When nutritionists talk about fortification, we mean adding vitamins and minerals to staples like flour, oil, or salt. It is cost-effective and has saved millions from hidden hunger. But there’s a challenge at the last mile. Small mills and informal markets, where many vulnerable families buy their food, are often beyond the reach of commercial fortification. Plant breeders, on the other hand, use fortification to mean agronomic biofortification - breeding crops that are naturally rich in nutrients, like vitamin A maize or iron beans. This approach reaches farmers directly, bypasses the bottlenecks of processing, and delivers nutrition in every harvest. Together, commercial fortification and biofortification form a complementary safety net that ensures that we leave no one behind. What is the linkage between the African Plant Breeders Association – APBA conference theme and sustainable agri-food systems? This conference is about breeding today for tomorrow. Sustainable agri-food systems need crops that nourish people, withstand climate stress, and fit local diets. Plant breeders are not just improving yields - they are shaping the diets, nutrition, health and resilience of entire communities. Linking breeding science with better diets, nutrition and sustainability is how we transform Africa’s food future. #AgriFoodSystems | #Nutrition | #FoodSystems | #FoodFuture 

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We are proud to share the independent evaluation of our 2022 – 2024 programme Transforming Conflict Around Seasonal Cattle Transhumance.  Implemented with funding from the European Union and building on Concordis’ work in the Central African Republic (CAR) since 2015, this programme worked to reduce conflicts linked to seasonal livestock migration.  It combined community engagement, conflict-resolution mechanisms, targeted infrastructure investments, and policy advocacy to promote peaceful coexistence and shared economic benefits for herders and farmers, aligning with regional initiatives in Chad and Sudan. As the report notes: - “By fostering mutual respect and understanding between migrant and host communities, the project not only enhanced a sense of inclusion but also contributed to social cohesion. Stakeholders noted that both groups now have a greater appreciation for each other’s challenges, leading to increased willingness to engage in dialogue and seek collaborative solutions to shared issues, such as resource access and migration routes.”     - “Three years ago, we were in constant conflict with local authorities and community over grazing routes and livestock issues. However, with the intervention of Concordis and the advisory groups, these tensions have eased significantly. Now, we feel more protected and supported." – Sudanese migrant herder (Zoukoutouniala) interviewed by the independent evaluators.    These results reflect the determination of our staff, local partners and community stakeholders.  We salute their courage and thank the European Union for making this work possible. There is real progress — and still more to do. If you want to help scale up these results, learn how you can support our work:  https://lnkd.in/dkfFC2bQ   #peacebuilding #peace #concordisinternational #concordisturnstwenty #PeaceWithPurpose #EU

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At the UNFSS+4 summit in Addis Ababa, SeedNL hosted a side event on Public-Private Collaborations for Seed System Transformation, co-organized with the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken and the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. The session brought together stakeholders from government, research, the private sector, and civil society to share evidence on how effective partnerships can contribute to #foodsecurity. The event reaffirmed the need for long-term collaboration and enabling environments to support resilient seed systems. #SeedIsLife

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🌍From Uganda to NRI: Driving Crop Research for Global Food Security Recent Natural Resources Institute PhD graduate, Dr Phillip Abidrabo’s journey shows how determination, world-class training, and international collaboration can transform research into real-world impact.    At NRI, Phillip investigated the role of whiteflies in spreading cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs), which cause devastating diseases that threaten food security for millions across sub-Saharan Africa. Through his research, Phillip:   ✅ Identified two whitefly species that can transmit CBSVs ✅ Revealed genetic clues that could help disrupt the spread of these viruses ✅ Identified molecular factors linked to virus transmission in whiteflies ✅ Expanded knowledge on CBSV transmission   NRI provided not only access to world-class laboratories and expert supervision, but also a collaborative, supportive environment where ideas thrive. The result: research with direct applications for protecting crops, improving resilience, and strengthening global food systems 🌾🫛   Stories like Phillip’s demonstrate the value of combining local knowledge, international collaboration, and cutting-edge science. They also show what’s possible for our current and future students and partners who share our mission to improve food security and livelihoods worldwide.   Read his story ↩️ https://lnkd.in/e5gbHi46    #PhDlife #FoodSecurity #PlantHealth #VectorEntomology #GlobalImpact #NRIImpact

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