Article by Kimberley Bebendorf

For the second consecutive year, WECF contributed to Afrikadag, the Netherlands’ largest public event on Africa and international cooperation. This year’s theme, “Getting Rights Right,” sparked WECF’s panel discussion, Centering Human Rights in Sustainable Food Systems: Addressing Manifestations of the Polycrisis.

Organised by Foundation Max van der Stoel and FEPS and hosted at Pakhuis de Zwijger, in Amsterdam, the event featured inspiring speakers and concluded with actionable solutions. Beyond the workshops, audiences were engaged by stands at the information market, a book shop corner and a fabulous African fashion show and dance performance. WECF invited students of Wageningen University’s UCAS association and members of ACPC to attend Afrikadag.

Understanding the Polycrisis 

Moderated by WECF’s Laura Bernard, the discussion began by unpacking the concept of a “polycrisis.” This term describes how interconnected crises—spanning politics, economics, health, and the environment—combine to create impacts greater than the sum of their parts. Professor Rama Salla Dieng contextualised intersectional impacts of the polycrisis with a quote from Audre Lorde:

“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”

This highlights how crises disproportionately affect vulnerable groups like women, refugees or young people.

Perspectives on Challenges across Africa 

Professor Dieng discussed the impact of neo-colonial policies on food sovereignty in Senegal. She emphasised the need to transition from extractive systems to frameworks that recognise the power of local communities and highlighted that the polycrisis transcends borders, requiring transnational collaboration.

Semia Gharbi, from Tunisia’s Association of Environmental Education for Future Generations (AEEFG), addressed contradictions in international pesticide trade. She described her project “Building the Ecofeminist Movement in Takelsa” which supports rural women farmers in restoring soil health through traditional agriculture that is climate resilient. Her intervention was a remarkable example of gender-transformative, toxic-free and healthy agriculture, demonstrating tangible solutions to compounded issues.

Associate Professor Roland Balgah shared insights from the INCiTiS-FOOD project in Cameroon. Funded by the European Union, this ambitious 4-year project focuses on sustainable and circular (peri) urban agriculture in Africa. By centering women and young people in adopting innovative practices, such as aquaponics or insect farming, INCiTiS-FOOD is contributing to the inclusive food systems of tomorrow. On the panel, Roland highlighted the strain on food production caused by ongoing conflicts and rapid urbanisation, emphasising the importance of food sovereignty together with low-cost, locally rooted solutions

Read more about the INCiTiS-FOOD project here.

Call to Action 

The panel emphasised the need for solutions that are sustainable, intersectional, and transnational. Intersectional feminist frameworks, Indigenous practices, inclusive capacity-strengthening projects, global cooperation and local initiative are key. Further necessary are the duplication of established projects, the strengthening of farmers coalitions and unions and increased flexibility in international cooperation.

Closing of Afrikadag 

In the closing discussion of Afrikadag, Prof. Dieng importantly reminded the audience:

“We cannot get rights right without addressing Palestine and centring women’s rights.”

Rama criticised redundant capacity-building efforts and advocated for leveraging frugal innovations emerging from Africa. When asked about engaging men in gender equity efforts, she underscored that cooperation is often assumed to be gender-neutral but must explicitly include women and youth.

Last, Dr. Mollynn Gift Mugisha-Otim, from ACPC and invited by WECF, stressed the importance of involving the African diaspora and youth of African descent in solutions. She highlighted their potential to bridge the gap between Africa and Europe, noting their ability to address socio-economic challenges and bring innovative solutions to the table.

Semia Gharbi and the health and rights of Tunisian women farmers 

On November 14, prior to Afrikadag, Semia attended a lunch-meeting with WO=MEN, Dutch Gender Platform. During the session “Health and rights of rural Tunisian women farmers’’ Semia shared about the project they have been implementing in the Takelsa region in Tunisia, funded by the Global Climate Action Fund. In this project, women farmers are supported in agroecology and start working without pesticides. Besides, Semia shared the call on how important it is to keep supporting women-led and feminist organisations in the Global South.

Thanks to the Global Climate Action Fund, WomenPower2030 and INCiTiS-FOOD, and especially the panelists for making this event possible!