Sub-Regional Group to Advance Agroecology in West Africa at Upcoming Bobo-Dioulasso Caravan

Ouagadougou — The Global Convergence of Struggles for Land and Water West Africa (CGLTE-OA) has announced the upcoming fourth edition of its caravan in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, gathering over 300 participants from 16 countries to advocate for the implementation of agroecology across member states.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the focal point of CGLTE-OA in Burkina, the event will take place from November 6 to December 1, 2023, under the theme “Climate change, one of the environmental, agricultural and economic challenges in Africa.” The launch of the caravan, scheduled for November 6 and 7 in the town of Sya, aims to promote the practice of agroecology in West Africa.

Nakandé, also the director of the African Movement for Environmental Rights in the Eastern Region (MADEE), briefed the press in Ouagadougou, outlining the caravan’s mission to defend the rights of communities. The meeting in Bobo-Dioulasso will feature communications on climate issues and agroecology and advocacy meetings with administrative, customary, and religious authorities.

The event will also host an agroecological products fair and a parade and will extend beyond Burkina Faso to Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, and conclude in Mauritania. Nakandé emphasized the objective of the caravan to bolster community awareness of climate change and to foster exchange of knowledge on climate resilience.

The caravan intends to scrutinize authorities’ commitments to climate actions in the villages and cities of the participating countries. Nakandé highlighted the aim of contributing to social transformation in West Africa through the improvement of policies and legislative texts relating to land, water, seeds, pastoralism, and fishing.

Furthermore, he noted that the gathering is designed to enhance the collective efforts of organizations and movements within each country to bolster women’s and youth involvement in local land governance.

Launched in 2016, the CGLTE-OA caravan unites members from the 15 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Mauritania, aiming for impactful change and policy enhancement within the region.