Assuring Regional Food Sovereignty: argetting Capital Barriers To Farmers, Youth

T he Second Congo Basin Conve­ ning on Agro-ecology for Inclu­ sion, Sustainable Food Systems, Biodiversity, and Climate Justice conclu­ ded on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Yaounde with the adoption of the Yaounde Declaration 2026. Jointly backed by the Alliance for Food So­ vereignty in Africa, AFSA and the Na­ tional Concertation of Farmer Orga­ nizations of Cameroon, CNOP-CAM, the declaration establishes concrete financial, legal, and operational com­ mitments. The summit aimed at transforming regional food systems and protecting biodiversity across Central Africa. The high-level gathering drew delegates from 16 African nations, the African Parliament, the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS, civil society, and grassroots producers. Building on the foundations of the 2023 Kinshasa Declaration, stakehol­ ders agreed on five major targets. They urged African Union member states to integrate agro-ecology into national CAADP frameworks. Reserving at least 30% of public food systems budgets for agro-ecological initiatives. Participants demanded that govern­ ments adopt agro-ecology into Na­ tionally Determined Contributions, NDCs, and National Adaptation Plans by the end of 2027 to satisfy Target 10 of the Global Biodiversity Frame­ work. They called on major interna­ tional funds (GCF, GEF, CAFI, AfDB) to establish direct-access streams. To ensure that at least 20% of resourc...