THE VOICE OF AFSA || MEET MILLION BELAY-PART 2

Описание: Dr. Million Belay is the General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, a continental network of networks advocating for agroecology, food sovereignty and the rights of African communities. He is also a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) and a founder of MELCA-Ethiopia, an indigenous organization working on agroecology, intergenerational learning, forest conservation and the livelihoods of local communities. Over the past two decades, he has worked at the intersection of culture, ecology and policy, contributing significantly to continental movements for seed and food sovereignty. Million is also the host of the new podcast The Battle for African Agriculture, where he invites guests to reflect on power, culture, resistance and the future of Africa’s food systems.

In this second part of our conversation, Million takes us deep into the evolution of AFSA: the formation and strengthening of its working groups, the emergence of major continental campaigns like My Food Is African and Seed Is Life, and new frontiers in agroecological entrepreneurship, cross-border territorial markets, and healthy soil initiatives. He reflects on years of research and advocacy, including AFSA’s food policy work with the African Union, the growth of the biennial African Food Systems Conferences, and AFSA’s rising influence within climate negotiations on food systems.

Million also speaks powerfully about the growing role of African youth, the groundbreaking Thousand African Youth Summit, and why deep learning and critical engagement are essential for the continent’s future. He explains how his podcast became a platform to explore issues like UPOV 91, GMOs, colonialism, and seed justice from multiple perspectives.

In a moving closing reflection, he shares what drives him, the collective nature of AFSA’s achievements, and the legacy he hopes will endure: a continent grounded in food sovereignty, agroecology, and strong, member-led movements that continue long after individual leaders are gone.