In this episode, Dr. Million Belay discusses research he coordinated across Africa examining agricultural approaches. "In 2013, we asked ourselves, does agroecology work for Africa?" he explains, describing how they gathered and synthesized case studies from numerous countries. Their findings revealed that ecological farming practices consistently improved both productivity and farmer income while supporting environmental health.
Million's declaration that "food is not a commodity" cuts to the heart of the matter. "Food is culturally appropriate. Farmers control their own economy," he insists. This vision—emerging from social movements like La Via Campesina—represents a fundamentally different relationship with food systems.
Through our conversation, Million reveals how African farmers are developing agroecological innovations that honor Traditional Ecological Knowledge while building climate resilience, demonstrating how community-controlled agriculture offers the true path to food sovereignty.
Million Belay is a member of the IPES-Food panel; co-founder and general coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) – a network of farmers’ organizations, NGO networks, consumer movements and small-scale producers advocating for agroecology, food sovereignty, and the rights of small-scale food producers in Africa; and he is an expert on forestry conservation, indigenous livelihoods and food and seed sovereignty.