March is here and with it the beginning of the rains; this has double significance...

• Firstly, in the recent past, i have hardly woken up a happier person…I heard and “smelt” the rains last night.. and this morning, saw the evidence…finally, the month old paspalum grass, in my front lawn, can start shooting, upwards...as if to say, “thank you to God” or it is “thank you Mother Nature”: the second reason is that the start of the rains marks a significant closure to the life and times of Sue Edwards who passed on the 14^th of February, last month,…a great warrior, a great matriarch: This month’s blog article is a dedication to her tireless efforts in the advancement of the agro-ecological Movement…a befitting tribute to Sue Edwards…her spirit lives on…
• Who was Sue Edwards? Some of us prefer to remember her, for lack of better works as a gentle visionary, a trail blazer, a pioneer, who believed in agro-ecological food systems… who demonstrated it in practice…and who encouraged many of us, with some of those quotes: “take over from where we have reached”…”when I see people like you in the movement, I feel confident and happy that the Movement is in safe hands…” here is a link to some of her words of wisdom and teachings: African can Feed itself:
  the video captures her sharing an overview of the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), which she helped establish and how she successfully applied Indigenous Knowledge to increase food production in Ethiopia.
• One of the Movement followers explains, from a public health physician’s point of view, reasons as to why Ecological Organic Agriculture is the future of agriculture and food security/sovereignty; and why we should advocate for policy review to reduce and finally, eliminate the use synthetic fertilizers and chemicals in the food chain: Dr. Mokaya, of Organic Consumers Alliance, explains why “Your health is your First Wealth” and that the “The Future is Organic”:
• What are some of the most serious threats and challenges to the adoption of agro-ecological organic and related food systems? It is gene editing and related synthetic biology technology: The architects of dangerous and unsafe technologies are hell-bent to “adulterate” the gene pool, through the reckless use of GMO like technology aka gene editing: Gene editing in the newest threat and enemy of biodiversity and Nature, as we know it today: Here is the evidence: http://www.etcgroup.org/content/reckless-driving-gene-drives-and-end-nature
• It this threat real? YES. It is already happening in Burkina Faso: Here: https://acbio.org.za/press-release-no-benefit-imminent-release-risky-gm-mosquitoes-burkina-faso/?
• And in Brazil:https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2018/02/06/governo-brasileiro-quer-impor-a-liberacao-de-novos-transgenicos-sem-nenhum-controle/ (there is an English translation)…the regulators seem to have conspired to ignore UN protocols!

What are some homegrown solutions which Sue Edwards would have recommended?

• Firstly, we identify the problem: That is, unsafe and unhealthy agro-chemically produced foods, under the current Industrial-Chemical system and related food production systems; this is harmful to the environment, the soil and human health: Here is the evidence showing how the pesticide residues affect children’s’ IQs and harm pregnant women, disproportionately. http://www.gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/17661-organic-foods-backed-by-landmark-report-warning-pesticides-far-more-dangerous-than-was-thought
• Secondly, we recommend a homegrown solution: To adopt agro-ecological food systems to produce(and consume) organic foods, mostly vegetables, as recommended by WHO and supported by the latest studies, which show a reduction on non-communicable diseases(NCDs), among other nutritional and health benefits: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/177778/eating-more-fruits-vegetables-prevent-millions/ and here the scientific publication: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/46/3/1029/3039477
• Closer home, are there any local African studies supporting what Sue Edwards promoted and believed in? Yes: That indigenous knowledge, especially of African Indigenous Vegetables can not only protect and nourish the soil but can also produce enough nutrient rich and safe vegetables to sustainably feed its people: Dr. Onyango et al, of Organic Consumers Alliance(OCA), http://organicconsumers.co.ke/about-us/leadership-profiles.html discusses two African indigenous vegetables; Spider Weed and African Nightshade and makes, evidence based, recommendations on the way forward: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271658566_Current_status_on_production_and_utilization_of_spider_plant_Cleome_gynandra_L_an_underutilized_leafy_vegetable_in_Kenya and here: for African Nightshade: http://www.sciencedomain.org/abstract/15480