🌿 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 | 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟐–𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞, 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨

AFSA is proud to announce the 2nd Congo Basin Convening: Securing the Heart of Africa — People, Nature, Food and Climate Resilience. Building on the landmark 2023 Kinshasa Summit, this convening will bring together civil society, farmer organisations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, governments, researchers, and partners from across the six Congo Basin countries and beyond to advance agroecology, food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, and climate justice in one of the world's most vital ecosystems.

Mark your calendars and spread the word! This is a defining moment to review progress since Kinshasa, strengthen regional coordination, and adopt a concrete Brazzaville 2026 Declaration and action roadmap. Together, we are securing the heart of Africa.
#CongoBasin #FoodSovereignty #Agroecology #ClimateJustice #Biodiversity #AFSA

🌿 𝐑𝐄́𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐙 𝐋𝐀 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 | 𝟐𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞́𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨 — 𝟏𝟐–𝟏𝟒 𝐣𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 | 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞, 𝐑𝐞́𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨

L'AFSA est fière d'annoncer la 2e Conférence du Bassin du Congo : Sécuriser le cœur de l'Afrique — Peuples, nature, l'alimentation et résilience climatique. S'appuyant sur le Sommet historique de Kinshasa en 2023, cette conférence réunira la société civile, les organisations paysannes, les peuples autochtones et les communautés locales, les gouvernements, les chercheurs et les partenaires des six pays du Bassin du Congo pour faire avancer l'agroécologie, la souveraineté alimentaire, la conservation de la biodiversité et la justice climatique dans l'un des écosystèmes les plus vitaux au monde.

Marquez vos agendas et faites passer le mot ! C'est un moment décisif pour évaluer les progrès réalisés depuis Kinshasa, renforcer la coordination régionale et adopter une Déclaration de Brazzaville 2026 et une feuille de route concrète. Ensemble, nous sécurisons le cœur de l'Afrique. 🌍
#BassindDuCongo #SouverainetéAlimentaire #Agroécologie #JusticeClimatique #Biodiversité #AFSA

🌱 T𝐨d𝐚y i𝐬 𝐈n𝐭e𝐫n𝐚t𝐢o𝐧a𝐥 𝐒e𝐞d D𝐚y.

For millennia, Africa's farmers — especially women — have saved, exchanged, and nurtured seeds with extraordinary wisdom and care. These are not just agricultural inputs. They are living memory. Cultural identity. Spiritual heritage. Climate resilience. Sovereignty.

This is the heart of our 2026 #SeedIsLife Campaign and its message is clear:

Our seeds are not commodities. They are life.

Yet across Africa, corporate seed laws, UPOV-aligned legislation, and GMO expansion are systematically threatening the very seeds that feed 80% of our continent.

We are raising our voice. We are defending our heritage. We are claiming our rights.

👉 Read the full campaign — 10 Reasons Why Seed Is Life:
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/seed-is-life-2026-celebrating-our-heritage-this-international-seed-day

#SeedIsLife #FMSS #SeedSovereignty #FoodSovereignty #NoToUPOV #OurSeedsOurFuture #AFSA #InternationalSeedDay

🌱 𝐀𝐮𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐝'𝐡𝐮𝐢, 𝐜'𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞́𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬.

Depuis des millénaires, les paysan·nes d'Afrique — en particulier les femmes — ont sauvegardé, échangé et entretenu les semences avec une sagesse et un soin extraordinaires. Ce ne sont pas de simples intrants agricoles. Ce sont mémoire vivante. Identité culturelle. Patrimoine spirituel. Résilience climatique. Souveraineté.

C'est le cœur de notre campagne Ma Semence Ma Vie 2026 et son message est clair :

Nos semences ne sont pas des marchandises. Elles sont la vie.

Pourtant, à travers l'Afrique, les lois semencières des entreprises, les législations alignées sur l'UPOV et l'expansion des OGM menacent systématiquement les semences qui nourrissent 80 % de notre continent.

Nous élevons notre voix. Nous défendons notre héritage. Nous revendiquons nos droits.

👉 Lisez la campagne complète — 10 Raisons pour lesquelles Ma Semence Ma Vie :

https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/ma-semence-ma-vie-2026-clbrons-notre-hritage-en-cette-journe-internationale-des-semences

#MaSemenceMaVie #SSP #SouverainetéSemencière #SouverainetéAlimentaire #NonÀlUPOV #NosSemencesNotreAvenir #AFSA #JournéeInternationaleDesSemences

🌱 SEED IS LIFE 2026 IS HERE.

Today, AFSA officially launches the 2026 Seed Is Life Campaign — our continent-wide call to protect Farmer-Managed Seed Systems and defend farmers' rights to seed.

80% of Africa's food comes from farmers' seeds.
Seeds that have been saved, exchanged, and nurtured across generations.
Seeds that feed families, sustain cultures, and anchor food sovereignty.

Yet today, these seeds — and the farmers who grow them — are under threat.

Corporate seed laws. UPOV-aligned legislation. GMO expansion. All designed to take control of our seeds out of our hands.

Not on our watch. 🌿

From April 25–27, join us as we celebrate, claim, and defend our seed sovereignty — on International Seed Day and beyond.

This year, AFSA's Seed and Agroecology Working Group — with UNDROP — hosted a landmark trilingual consultation on Farmers' Rights to Seed, bringing together farmers, advocates, and policymakers in English, French, Portuguese and Kiswahili.

Because our seeds are not just crops.
They are identity. Culture. Sovereignty. Life.

👉 Read the full campaign brief & join the movement:
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/seed-is-life-our-seeds-our-rights-our-future
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/ma-semence-ma-vie-nos-semences-nos-droits-notre-avenir

🔁 Share this. Tag your networks. Amplify the message.
#SeedIsLife #FMSS #SeedSovereignty #FoodSovereignty
#OurSeedsOurRights #NoToUPOV #NoToGMOs
#AfricanSeeds #Agroecology #AFSA

🌱 SEED IS LIFE 2026 IS HERE.

Today, AFSA officially launches the 2026 Seed Is Life Campaign — our continent-wide call to protect Farmer-Managed Seed Systems and defend farmers' rights to seed.

80% of Africa's food comes from farmers' seeds.
Seeds that have been saved, exchanged, and nurtured across generations.
Seeds that feed families, sustain cultures, and anchor food sovereignty.

Yet today, these seeds — and the farmers who grow them — are under threat.

Corporate seed laws. UPOV-aligned legislation. GMO expansion. All designed to take control of our seeds out of our hands.

Not on our watch. 🌿

From April 25–27, join us as we celebrate, claim, and defend our seed sovereignty — on International Seed Day and beyond.

This year, AFSA's Seed and Agroecology Working Group — with UNDROP — hosted a landmark trilingual consultation on Farmers' Rights to Seed, bringing together farmers, advocates, and policymakers in English, French, Portuguese and Kiswahili.

Because our seeds are not just crops.
They are identity. Culture. Sovereignty. Life.

👉 Read the full campaign brief & join the movement:
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/seed-is-life-our-seeds-our-rights-our-future

🔁 Share this. Tag your networks. Amplify the message.
#SeedIsLife #FMSS #SeedSovereignty #FoodSovereignty
#OurSeedsOurRights #NoToUPOV #NoToGMOs
#AfricanSeeds #Agroecology #AFSA

🌍 AFSA's New Website is Live — and We Built it For You.

After months of dedicated work, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa is proud to announce the launch of our completely reimagined digital home at http://afsafrica.org

Our new website is more than a refresh — it is a dynamic platform for the largest Civil Society Movement in Africa. Explore our four Pan-African campaigns, discover our Theory of Change, dive into a fully searchable Knowledge Library with hundreds of resources, and meet the 48 member alliances across 50 African countries that make this movement possible.

We built this space for our members, partners, donors, journalists, researchers, and everyone who believes Africa has the right to define its own food future. Come explore — and share it with your networks.

Read more
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/our-new-website-is-live-explore-afsafricaorg

https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/notre-nouveau-site-web-est-en-ligne-dcouvrez-afsafricaorg

👉 http://afsafrica.org

#AFSA #FoodSovereignty #Agroecology #Africa #FoodSystems

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗙𝗦𝗔 || 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗬 || 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗪𝗢

In the second part of his interview for The Voice of AFSA Newsletter, Dr Million Belay takes us inside the story of how the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa took shape. He traces AFSA’s beginnings from early conversations among African networks, through the first meetings in Addis Ababa, to its formal launch and registration. Rather than a single founding moment, he describes #AFSA as a collective journey built over time, shaped by shared principles, trust, and a deep commitment to African led thinking on #foodsystems.

He speaks candidly about the choices AFSA made early on, why #FoodSovereignty mattered, how #agroecology became central, and what it meant to build a continental movement with political clarity, bold positions, and a strong African voice.

Million also reflects on AFSA’s journey and achievements over the years, from the establishment of working groups on #land, #seeds, #climate, and #citizens, to major milestones such as continental food systems conferences, seed and soil initiatives, agroecological entrepreneurship, and campaigns like #MyFoodIsAfrican and #SeedIsLife. He explains how AFSA grew by remaining member driven rather than secretariat led, with these spaces becoming engines of learning and action across the continent.

At the end of the conversation, Dr Million reflects on continuity and responsibility. He explains why he launched The #BattleForAfricanAgriculture podcast as a space for learning, documentation, and deeper engagement with Africa’s food systems struggles.

When asked how he hopes to be remembered, he shifts away from titles or recognition and speaks instead of trying to do the right thing, walking with others, and helping remove obstacles so movements, ideas, and people can move forward together.

Read Part Two of the interview in The Voice of AFSA Newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/afsafrica.org/meet-million-belay-part-two

Listen to the full conversation here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7bXBFhmttw