Report-back from Cameroon & Africa Food Systems Conference

Presenters:
Malik Yakini - Detroit Black Community Food Security Network
Heather Day - Community Alliance for Global Justice/AGRA Watch

At the end of November 2022, Malik and Heather joined Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) as it hosted its 4th biennial Africa Food Systems Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon. AFSA represents over 200 million small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, and indigenous peoples. The conference participants came from 30 African countries, and shared experiences over three days, including visits to the Cameroonian host organization's farm, market and training center. AFSA launched its Pan-African campaign during the conference, "My Food is African/Je Mange Africain" which aims to inspire people in Africa to desire and demand traditional foods, dishes, diets and cuisines.

Malik and Heather shared highlights and photos from the trip, and shared their reflections on how the US and African food sovereignty movements can continue to work in solidarity with each other. Malik brings his perspective as a lifelong Pan-Africanist, and Heather as a campaigner against philanthrocapitalism through AGRA Watch, a program of Community Alliance for Global Justice that counters the Gates Foundation's funding of a so-called "green revolution" for Africa.

The event was co- hosted by the International Relations Collective of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance and Community Alliance for Global Justice/AGRA Watch.