By Abu Bakarr Munu, Communication Officer, SiLNoRF
The Sierra Network on the Right to Food (SiLNoRF) is presently representing Sierra Leone in the ongoing 4th Edition of the West African Global Convergence, Caravan 2023.
The Caravan is a biannual campaign carried out by grassroots social movements and civil society organizations (CSOs) including human rights defenders grouped within the Global Convergence of Struggles for Land and Water in West Africa.
The platform, which is made up of the 16 West African countries, constitutes a real means of advocacy and synergy for action against land grabbing and other natural resources in West Africa.
Land, Water and peasant seeds are assets of humanity. They must benefit communities and grassroots populations.
However, the monopolization and commercialization of these resources with excess profits by multinationals and certain national and foreign individuals have become a recurrent phenomenon especially in Africa.
Moreover, this phenomenon aggravates poverty and drastically slows down social transformation based on family farming, peasant agro-ecology and social justice.
It should be noted that it is in this context that the CGLTE-OA organized another Edition of the West African Caravan under the label, “Right to Land, Water and Peasant Agro-ecology: A Common Struggle”. Held from November 20 in the Gambia via Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry before ending in Sierra Leone in December 13, 2021, it is expected that more than 300 direct participants will be involved in 15 ECOWAS countries.
One of the specific objectives of the caravan is to promote awareness among the communities of the stopover towns of the different itinerary countries on issues and challenges linked to the environment, land, water, peasant seeds as well as the need to preserve them for the present and future generations in line with sustainable development.
The ongoing 4th Edition was officially launched on November 6 in Burkina Faso moved to Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal and has just entered the Brikima West Coast Region of The Gambia with over 250 participants.
In all the itinerary countries so far targeted, series of lined up events were carried out and the Head of the Caravan, Massa Kone delivered speeches followed by the presentation of a Green Book to State authorities, forming the climax of the convergence that enjoys the support of the Alliance of Customary Chiefs, Traditional and Religious Leaders of Africa who turned out in large numbers.
In addition to the above, official ceremonies including conferences were held with participants carrying banners and chanting slogans: “My Land, My Life, My Water, My Life”
in different dialects and local languages interlaced with the rhythm of drums.
