Mariama Sonko, a Senegalese rural woman and president of the pan-African movement Nous Sommes la Solution, based in Niaguiss, Ziguinchor, is sounding the alarm ahead of a forum on agribusiness. An active member of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, she is calling on African authorities to change course and make a firm commitment to agroecology.
‎
In her view, this is not just a technical debate, but a genuine social choice. She believes that current agricultural policies, dominated by industrial logics, have impoverished soils and endangered the health of populations. "If we really want food sovereignty, we need to promote agro-ecological practices. Soil, the first link in this chain, must be revitalized. It has been impoverished by the dominant agricultural systems."
‎
Mariama Sonko insists on the urgent need to use biofertilizers and biostimulants to breathe new life into African soils. "Our governments must hear our voice and recognize the advantages of these natural solutions.
‎
On behalf of rural women, she expresses a real cry from the heart. Faced with a deteriorating diet and a rise in illnesses linked to chemicals and unsuitable farming practices, she calls for a transition to a healthier, more sustainable model. "If you don't have health, you can't have money. And if you have money, you can't necessarily treat yourself," she declares forcefully.
‎
For her, political choices must now respond to people's real needs. "Agroecology is more than a farming practice, it's a path to healthy food, self-reliance for rural communities and genuine local development."
‎
With this plea, Mariama Sonko invites African leaders to rethink the dominant agricultural models and invest in agriculture that respects people and nature. For her, food sovereignty cannot be decreed: it must be built on the ground, with and for communities.

Source: Emedia