Information workshop for journalists on the harmful effects of pesticides in agriculture and food systems

The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), in collaboration with its partners, including Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Africa, organised an information workshop for journalists on the harmful effects of pesticides in agriculture and food systems on Thursday 31 July 2025 at the Onomo Hotel in Dakar, Senegal.
The objectives of the workshop were:
1. To improve journalists' understanding of conventional agriculture and its impact on African food systems;
2. To discuss the impact of chemical pesticide use on human health, the environment, groundwater, biodiversity, soil, etc.;
3. To debate seed policies and their impact with participants;
4. To introduce journalists to the principles of agroecology and its alternatives in terms of sustainable production and consumption patterns.
5. To support journalists in producing hard-hitting investigative articles that highlight the main challenges and solutions around sustainable food systems.
A total of eighteen (18) journalists from different media outlets took part in the workshop. Four experts were chosen to present the topics. The first topic was addressed by Mr Amadou Kanouté, Executive Director of CICODEV, who traced the evolution of agricultural policies, food security versus food sovereignty.

Following him, Mr Mar NGOM from the Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations of Senegal (FONGS) focused his presentation on family farms and their crucial importance for sustainable food sovereignty.
Mr Mourtada THIAM from the NGO Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Africa addressed the issue of pesticides in conventional agriculture and their impact on human health and the environment.
Finally, Mr Famara DIEDHIOU from the Alliance for Food Sovereignty (AFSA) reviewed the context that gave rise to agroecology, its evolution over time, and a comparison between conventional agriculture and agroecology.
Each presentation was followed by enriching exchanges and discussions. To conclude, topics for study, investigation or reporting were proposed by the journalists. They also discussed the prospects for support in covering these important issues.