Page 47 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 18

Food Health

conservation coalitions and civil that variety is lost. because these are the things that
society organizations, AFSA, who matter to future generations. In 100
share information with us and we So, everywhere you are around years’ time children who will come
share it. Afrika, get to know the foods that to find certain trees it will only be
your grandmother was eating, your possible because of the kind of ad-
Eventually we are going to start aunties were eating, look for the vocacy she did. So, certainly, I would
asking for support, even if it is 20 seeds and start planting them. That like to end with saluting somebody
shillings, because we operate on the is the only way to keep seeds, you who was as great as her, and all oth-
small funds that we can solicit from have to plant them, keep some in a er people who are doing great work
the people who really believe in seed bank, but keep planting them in these areas, including yourself.
these things. Unfortunately, the bulk and respect the environment.
of the money is on the other side. I want to salute my comrades in
The billions and the trillions are on I want to salute Mama Wangari Food Sovereignty Ghana, a handful
the other side and people think we Maathai because I lived in Kenya in of brave men and women who have
are funded by some people; they ask the 90s when she was being arrest- never relented on this work that
who is funding you? And I ask who ed, and beaten up, and harassed. we are doing. We are a very small
do you think wants to fund to make And when I visited Nairobi last year, organization I think our small size
the earth not spoil? Very few people I had goosebumps on me because has enabled us to continue doing the
so you do not have to worry about I saw all the trees, the forests that work; the bigger you are the more
who is funding us. We need funding, I knew still there in the middle of compromised people get. We do not
we need support, we need help. Visit the city. Karura forest. If there is a take money from any of the orga-
Food Sovereignty, like us, follow us. person who Kenya should have a nizations that are involved in these
Learn more about where you live national holiday for, because Afrikan negative acts, so we do not have all
the types of varieties of spinach that countries have holidays for things the pickups, we do not have all the
may exist in your country which are that do not mean much to us, if big things, but I want to salute my
getting lost. Ten years ago, if we had Kenya should have a holiday for comrades they have remained very
this interview and I sent you to the someone who is worthy, it should real. Thank you very much Food
market to look for something there be the honorable Wangari Maathai Sovereignty Ghana and, forward
are probably 2,3,4 varieties that are for what she did. Because now we ever, as the honorable Osagyefo Dr
not there now that were there 10 should appreciate that the environ- Kwame Nkrumah our first presi-
years ago. When you think of it, in ment is all we have, and she was far dent said “Forward ever, backwards
the context of what seeds are, and ahead of her time in pushing for never.”
this ancient software that is packed this to be done. She has the maxi-
into this small package, it can blos- mum respect from me. I want you Thank you for not giving up, 8
som, gets water on it, gets sunlight, to take that up personally, to help years is not a short time to be do-
gets warmth, it does its own thing us start some buzz, start some chats ing all of this work and it clearly
pre-programmed from forever… about letting this lady have her own is a work of passion so, thank
We need to know these things in day in Kenya, by the constitution, you, and congratulations to you
our regions and what are the local and your team.
varieties that have existed and save
the seeds. Watch Interview Here

Unfortunately, because of the
lobby of the commerce, the seeds
that they want you to take up are
cheaper, and because the first thing
human beings think about is “can I
afford it”, the better varieties all of
a sudden start vanishing, because
the person who kept them thinks
that “There is no business in this so
let me stop it. Next year I am doing
this type.” And in four years’ time

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