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Working groups play a critical role identifying areas or spaces where AFSA members can increase policy and advocacy engagements at regional, continental and global level.

AFSA previously had three active working groups on seed sovereignty, land, agroecology, plus a fourth crosscutting working group on communications.

During this year’s Strategy and Capacity Building Workshop held in October AFSA members resolved to make changes to the structure of the existing Working Groups. Agroecology as cross cutting thematic are was merged into the Seed and Land working groups. In addition two other working groups were created.

Sena Alouka from Young Volunteers for the Environment (JVE) and Coordinator of the Climate Change Working Group speaking at the AFSA Strategic & Capacity Building Workshop that took place in October

The first is the Climate Change, Environment and Fisheries Working group whose focus is on promoting Agroecology as a solution to Climate Change.

The group will work on four thematic areas;

  • Developing alternatives to Climate Change in various areas
  • Deconstruct existing myths by addressing bad practices that contribute to Climate Change
  • By representing AFSA and participating in Climate Change negotiations at different levels, regional and international
  • Address bad practices and solutions to climate change that is deconstructing the existing myths and lies with regards to climate change solutions
  • Participation in climate change negotiations (COPs, Pre-COPSs, AMCEN, organise side events)

The second group that was created during the October meeting is the Consumers for Sustainable Food Systems Working Group.

This group acknowledges that consumers are conscious that good nutrition and health come from production and consumption of agroecological products.

Despite this awareness in Africa the destruction of Indigenous production systems has created mono culture agriculture which has given rise to malnutrition and other related health issues

In the next two years the Consumer Working Group will focus on the following;

  • Generate knowledge on laws & regulations that empower consumers on the right to healthy, nutritious foods (research study).
  • Mapping of market practices that make agroecological products available to consumers in selected countries.
  • Identify and develop partnerships with like-minded organisations at regional & global level.
  • Develop concept note to structure the consumer engagement with the broader AFSA advocacy strategy.

Members of each Working Group were allocated tasks aimed at improving the groups organizational capacity. The groups will now focus on implementing the structure and work plans discussed the October 2017 meeting.

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