Cross section of MBOSCUDA Delegates at the Ngaoundere Annual General Assembly
By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
The Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association, MBOSCUDA has validated the message to be taken by delegates to the 28th edition of the United Nations Conference of Parties, COP28 on Climate Change billed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates from November 28 to December 10, 2023.
The message captioned: “Agroecology for Climate: Action and Road Map to COP28,” is designed by MBOSCUDA after a series of meetings supported by the Alliance For Food Sovereignty in Africa, AFSA.
MBOSCUDA has an observer status to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC validated the message at its 6th ordinary general assembly that took place in Ngaoundere, Adamawa Region on November 25, 2023.
The event that brought together thousands of MBOSCUDA members was presided at by its National President, El Hadj Adamou Amadou in the presence of top administrative and religious leaders of the Adamawa Region.
In the document to the climate change conference, the association highlighted its areas of intervention to include: women empowerment; education especially that of the girl child; human rights with greater access to justice; enhancing pastoralism notably cattle rearing and climate change with the notion of encouraging agroecology.
On the need for transition to agroecology, MBOSCUDA is sending across a strong message to the women that “climate change education should be included in our educational system as this will help foster behaviour change; indigenous knowledge should be recognised for the adaptation and resilient of change.”
MBOSCUDA is also appealing that “climate finance should be improved for initiatives fighting against climate change; and mechanism should be reinforced to improve access of the lost and damages funds for victims of climate change disaster. Investment in family farming agriculture is the best solution to the climate crisis and assures food sovereignty,” MBOSCUDA holds.
Addressing delegates, El Hadj Adamou recalled the history of the creation of MBOSCUDA in 1992 and said the over three million membership of the association is spread throughout the ten regions of the country. He talked of the difficulties encountered by the members to lead to acceptable livelihoods.
In regards to climate change, he said the Mbororos are the first victims because of their direct contact with land and resources thus negatively impacting them economically and socially. He said the Mbororos have proven traditional knowledge in the preservation of biodiversity which contributes in maintaining biological equilibrium and environmental protection.
Meanwhile, in an excerpt of a newsletter (the AFSA Weekly Media Digest) published recently in the build-up to COP28, the General Coordinator of AFSA, Million Belay, who passionately champions the cause of agroecology, in reaction to an essay in the Nation titled: “The Cruel Fantasies of Well-Fed-People,” presents it (agroecology) as the pathway to the future and a forward-looking science-based approach to revolutionize the agri-food system in Africa.
“Million’s argument underscores the importance of recognising that agricultural strategies must be tailored to the specific contexts they aim to serve. While the ongoing debate between British authors on the future of global production is captivating, Million emphasises that it is crucial to consider the unique circumstances of Africa.
“He makes a compelling point that the current discourse, which leans towards a production-focused approach to solving hunger, often overlooks the fundamental issue. Hunger, Million argues, is not solely a matter of increasing production. Instead, it is intricately linked to distribution disparities, poverty and exclusion,” the newsletter states.
The AFSA General Coordinator’s article also serves as a powerful reminder of the significance of agroecology as a hoslistic solution for Africa, addressing not just production but also the complex web of challenges related to hunger, poverty, and exclusion.
Million is also quoted to have declared that: “Agroecology is not about going backwards. Agroecology represents a forward-thinking fusion of scientific innovation, practical application, and social movement. It is not a regression to traditional methods but an advancement promising better yields, especially in the Global South.”