Ghana Hosts West Africa High-Level Agro-ecology Conference
By Wallace Mawire Senior representatives of state, high-level NGO representatives, West African-based and international researchers, policy experts, farmers, and media are gathering in Accra for the CIRAWA Agroecology Conference taking place at the Palms Hotel by Eagles (Former Holiday I
, high-level NGO representatives, West African-based and international researchers, policy experts, farmers, and media are gathering in Accra for theCIRAWAAgroecology Conference taking place at thePalms Hotel by Eagles (Former Holiday Inn) in Accrafrom 1 to 3 July 2026. The international conference sets the stage for the presentation of cross-border agroecological research and collaboration conducted as part of the European Union-funded CIRAWA project with keynote speeches and interactive workshops. The CIRAWA event brings together high-level delegates and representatives of international bodies, including guest of honour, Her Excellency the Vice President of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman. Speeches will be delivered by high-ranking representatives of theGhanian Environmental Protection Authority, theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),UNESCO, theWest and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF), theForum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), among many others. For the full programme, please find itavailable online here. Keynote speeches and workshops on scientific research and policy will help to set out a vision of how agroecological practices can be enhanced and rolled out in West African agriculture through trainings, policy, and collaboration. The CIRAWA Agroecology conference will also serve as a showcase for collaborative agroecology research and implementation being conducted in eight regions across Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal and The Gambia. “This conference marks a milestone in the progress made in the CIRAWA project towards greater agroecological understanding and implementation in the West Africa region and beyond. Together we can harness traditional agricultural knowledge, scientific endeavor, and effective policymaking to bring about an agroecological implementation that improves food security, climate resilience, market opportunities and the livlihoods of farmers. ”Professor Saa Dittoh, Agricultural Development and Food Systems Economist, University of Development Studies in Tamale (UDS)As part of the CIRAWA project, researchers are working closely with farming communities to advance practices such as agroforestry, composting, biogas use, mulching, terracing, forage banks, and much more. These practices will be compiled by CIRAWA in an easy-to-use Inventory of Agro-ecological Practices. CIRAWA is working with small-holder farmers in West Africa to improve food nutrition, local livelihoods, and ecosystem health. Bringing together 16 partners from 9 countries, CIRAWA is developing new agroecological-based practices that build on existing local and scientific knowledge to help create more resilient food supply chains in eight regions across Cape Verde, Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia.