By Witness Radio team

Seed sovereignty, a concept that advocates for farmers’ rights to save, use, exchange, and sell their own seeds, is at the heart of the Seed Savers Network’s (SSN) mission.

Based in Kenya, SSN is holding an intensive learning and peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing exercise among farmers across Africa. The goal is to develop strategies to restore traditional seeds and ensure food and seed sovereignty.

SSN is also targeting academia, policymakers, and researchers to champion and promote the conservation of local and indigenous seeds.

According to SSN, this is the third boot camp in a row, a testament to the growing unity among farmers from different parts of Africa who come together to learn from one another about how traditional knowledge is used to conserve traditional seeds. So far, the camp has attracted farmers from more than 30 African countries, showcasing the power of collective action in the fight for seed conservation.

This year’s boot camp has been enriched by the participation of farmers from the Informal Alliance, who lost their land to land-based investments in Uganda. Their presence not only underscores the power of collective action but also highlights the resilience and determination of these farmers in the face of adversity, inspiring others to join the effort to conserve local seeds.

The boot camp idea stems from a research study conducted by the Seed Savers Network in some counties in Kenya, which found that over 50 seed varieties were at risk of extinction.

Tabby Munyiri, the Communication and Advocacy Officer at SSN, said the mission is to ensure that other players are on board to join farmers in conserving agro-biodiversity by strengthening community food systems to improve seed access and enhance food sovereignty.

“SSN is working with over 120,000 farmers across Kenya, and they have already built community seed banks, which makes us the largest community seed banks in Africa,” Said Tabby.

She added that seed banks are repositories where communities conserve local and indigenous seeds. She revealed that the world is currently witnessing a significant loss of agrobiodiversity, with many crop and animal species on the verge of extinction due to factors such as climate change, industrial agriculture, and urbanization.

The boot camp will run for two weeks. 

By: Witness Radio team

The week of 20th September 2025, Uganda hosted the Renewable Energy Conference 2025 to discuss and advance the clean energy agenda. Its purpose this time was to foster collaboration among the government, the private sector, and development partners to transform energy systems. Still, the development partners are calling on the government of Uganda to balance conservation and livelihoods.

The Renewable Energy Conference (REC) 2025, which focused on clean cooking to meet the national target of 50% access by 2030, provided an opportunity for representatives of the German and European Union embassies to underscore the importance of balancing environmental conservation and livelihoods.

The German Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Matthias Schauer, stated that “transforming systems for livelihoods and conservation” are essential elements in the renewable energy sector.

“The theme, Transforming Energy Systems for Livelihoods and Conservation, I consider these two elements to be essential: livelihoods and conservation. Without energy, it is tough to establish livelihoods, but without conservation, you will be destroying them again sooner or later. They need to be well-balanced.” Matthias Schauer stated

He says, “At the same time, they strengthened local capacity, promoted innovative financing mechanisms to expand access to clean energy. Our partnership reflects a shared vision, unlocking Uganda’s potential, and that potential is huge. Fostering inclusive growth and ensuring that the benefits of energy transformation reach all communities, including remote and refugee hosting areas.” Matthias Schauer said.

He said that Germany’s goal is to advance access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy for all, in line with Sustainable Development Goal No. 7, while fostering local ownership.

The European Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Jan Sadek, on the other hand, emphasized that “the moment has come to move from dialogue to action. We are confident that Uganda will continue to lead by example, and Team Europe is ready to contribute to turning the insights from this conference into tangible impacts.” This urgent call to action should resonate with all stakeholders, highlighting the pressing need for change.

Jan also stated that, “The time for coordinated and accelerated investment in solutions to phase out the unsustainable use of firewood and charcoal is now. Together, we have a real opportunity to make a significant difference, and the EU is committed to contributing its part.” This commitment from the EU should reassure all stakeholders about the support they can expect.

While the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa Sentamu, stated that this year’s energy conference discussion has deepened their collaboration and collective understanding of what it truly means to transform energy systems from a livelihoods and conservation perspective.

As the Transition journey continues, Nankabirwa expressed confidence that through the performance reviews of the Ministry’s sustainable energy and extractive development programs, they have collectively assessed progress made under Development Plan 3 and have identified clear pathways for accelerated implementation of National Development Plan 4.