The pan-African movement Nous sommes la solution, célébrons l'agriculture familiale africaine (We are the solution, let's celebrate African family farming) opened the fourth edition of its sub-regional training course on agroecological best practices in Niaguiss, Ziguinchor department, on Monday. Heading up the initiative, Mariama Sonko, president of the movement and head of the Association des zones d'agriculteurs de la Casamance, recalled the central objective of the meeting: to build the capacities of technicians, animators and association leaders in agroecological farming techniques, with particular emphasis on horticulture.

For six days, from September 15 to 20, leaders from eight countries - Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal - will exchange experiences at the training center. The participants represent 14 of the movement's member associations, united by the same commitment: to make agroecology a central pillar of food sovereignty in Africa.

Mariama Sonko stresses the importance of putting practice before theory. According to her, agroecology cannot be limited to militant or technical discourse; it must be lived out in the field. With this in mind, the movement has set up several agroecological farms in its areas of intervention. These serve as places for experimentation, demonstration and training, where leaders help their communities adopt sustainable agricultural practices adapted to local realities.

When asked about the support expected from the Senegalese state, Mariama Sonko was clear: if the government really wants to achieve food sovereignty, it must support agroecological initiatives led by grassroots organizations. She believes that this form of agriculture, rooted in peasant knowledge and know-how, is the only sustainable route to food, financial, seed and environmental self-sufficiency.

"Conventional agriculture has made us poorer and sicker," she says. "Our ancestors lived long, healthy lives, thanks to a healthy diet produced locally. Today, with industrial practices and excessive use of chemicals, we're destroying our ecosystem and mortgaging our health."

The choice of theme for this fourth edition, focusing on horticultural cultivation techniques, responds to a pressing need: to structure knowledge and harmonize practices. "There's a lot of confusion surrounding cultivation techniques. And yet, they are essential if we are to produce better, while respecting our environment", explains Ms Sonko. Market gardening and arboriculture, which make up the bulk of horticultural activities in the region, are therefore at the heart of this session's work.

Previous editions have explored strategic areas: the first focused on soil fertility and the manufacture of biofertilizers; the second on the production of local horticultural seeds; the third on bioprotectors and biostimulants, in response to the many diseases and attacks affecting crops, livestock and fisheries. This fourth stage logically completes the skills base required for a viable agroecological transition.

The training is supported by the Global Fund for Agroecology, represented on site by Ms Tabara Ndiaye, Regional Fund Coordinator. She praised the movement's commitment and reaffirmed the importance of supporting grassroots organizations. "This kind of center should exist everywhere, if agroecology were given more support. We believe in this movement, and we will continue to mobilize resources to support it," she declared.

For the Global Fund, it's not just a question of financing projects: it's also a question of strengthening members' capacities, attracting other donors and building a strong pan-African movement, rooted in the territories and led by trained, autonomous producers. The stakes are high: the emergence of a credible, local and resilient alternative to the food, environmental and economic challenges facing the continent.

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