CIRAWA: Africa's Agroecology & Nature-Based Food Future

This event entry describes the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference, an international gathering focused on using agroecology and nature-based solutions to transform food systems in West Africa into more sustainable and climate-resilient models. The conference centers on four key West African locations—Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia—regions that are already experiencing the compounded effects of climate change, land degradation, and socio-economic vulnerability in their food systems. By convening researchers, farmers, NGOs, and policymakers, the event aims to accelerate practical, on-the-ground strategies for climate adaptation and ecological regeneration.

The conference emphasizes agroecology as a science, a set of practices, and a social movement that works with ecological processes instead of against them. This includes approaches like diversified cropping systems, integration of trees and livestock, soil-building techniques, and community-led governance of resources. In the context of West Africa, agroecology is framed as a way to enhance food security, stabilize yields under climate stress, and restore degraded landscapes, while respecting local knowledge and traditional farming systems. Nature-based solutions such as reforestation, assisted natural regeneration, agroforestry, and improved water harvesting are highlighted as tools to rebuild ecosystem functions like soil fertility, water retention, and biodiversity.

Climate resilience is a central theme of the event. The program is designed to share evidence and case studies that show how agroecological farms can better withstand drought, erratic rainfall, heat waves, and other climate extremes. Sessions are expected to address topics such as drought-tolerant cropping systems, climate-smart soil management, low-cost water storage and irrigation, seed sovereignty, and the role of biodiversity in buffering shocks. By focusing on real-world examples from Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia, the event aims to move beyond theory, providing participants with replicable models and step-by-step strategies applicable to smallholder contexts.

The conference is structured as a platform for knowledge exchange among diverse stakeholders. Researchers can present findings on soil health, ecosystem services, and climate modeling, while farmers and grassroots organizations share field-tested practices, challenges, and innovations. NGOs and development agencies contribute insight on project design, funding mechanisms, and scaling strategies, and policymakers explore how laws, subsidies, and public programs can support agroecology and nature-based solutions instead of industrial, input-intensive systems. This cross-sector dialogue is intended to help align research, policy, and practice around a common goal of resilient and equitable food systems.

Another important aspect of the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference is its explicit focus on biodiversity. The event frames biodiversity not only as conservation of wild species, but as a working asset within farming systems—diverse crops, trees, livestock, and soil microbiomes that underpin productivity, nutrition, and resilience. Sessions are likely to examine how polycultures, agroforestry, and landscape-scale restoration can provide habitat, support pollinators, regulate pests, and increase carbon sequestration. By linking biodiversity protection directly to farmer livelihoods, the conference makes the case that ecological health and economic viability can reinforce one another.

Overall, this event listing presents the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference as a catalyst for food systems transformation in West Africa. It positions agroecology and nature-based solutions as practical, context-appropriate responses to the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and rural poverty. Participants can expect a mix of presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities oriented toward building actionable partnerships and projects across Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia. The event thus serves both as a regional knowledge hub and as a contribution to the broader global movement for regenerative, climate-resilient agriculture.