From September 10 to 12, 2025, the city of Saly in Senegal hosted a regional workshop on "Artisanal Fishing, Agroecology, and Advocacy Against Ocean Grabbing in West Africa." This event brought together key civil society actors, artisanal fishermen, and government representatives from several West African countries.
During his speech, Dr. SOGADJI Emmanuel, Executive Director of the African Organization of Consumers (OAC), highlighted the urgency of food security on the continent. He emphasized that food security must be integrated into all aspects of consumption. "When foreigners are allowed to come and take fishery products from African waters for industrial needs, where will African consumers find these products to meet their needs? Food insecurity will then settle further into the continent," he stated. His words resonate as a call for vigilance against the threat of increased dependence on food imports.
Dr. SOGADJI stressed the need to intensify advocacy efforts to amplify the voice of African consumers. According to him, mobilization must focus on strategies that protect marine resources while ensuring equitable access for local communities. "We must continue to make ourselves heard through advocacy actions so that policymakers become aware and change their strategies," he added.
The Saly Portudal declaration, which concluded the workshop, affirmed that artisanal fishing and aquaculture are essential for sustainable development. It also highlighted that these sectors ensure food and nutritional security for millions of people. However, this sustainability is jeopardized by practices such as illegal fishing, resource grabbing, and ecosystem exploitation.
Furthermore, the Saly declaration reiterated the importance of recognizing and protecting the rights of artisanal fishing communities, particularly those of women and youth. The active participation of these groups is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of fishery resources. The workshop also emphasized the need for good governance and transparency in the granting of fishing licenses. It is indeed vital to harmonize legal frameworks at the regional level to ensure collective and sustainable management of marine resources. This requires governments to listen to and integrate consumers' concerns into their policies.
In parallel, the declaration addressed the importance of adapting food production systems in the face of climate change challenges. On this point, Dr. SOGADJI advocated for agroecological practices to be promoted as a viable solution to enhance the resilience of communities and the environment. He asserted that the OAC is active in intensifying its advocacy efforts on agroecology, security, and food sovereignty on the continent. "This is the only way we have left to resist the harmful consequences of agro-industry," he stated. This position fits into a broader framework of the struggle for social and environmental justice in Africa.
It is noteworthy that participants at the Saly workshop agreed that the fight against ocean grabbing must be collective and coordinated. The declaration called for regional mobilization, emphasizing that the sustainability of marine resources is a shared responsibility.
Through its participation in the Saly meeting, the OAC reaffirms its commitment to being a driver of change for food security in Africa alongside the Alliance for Food Security in Africa (AFSA). This meeting in Saly is just one step in a larger fight to ensure that African consumers have access to local and sustainable food products while preserving the rights of artisanal fishing communities.
It should be noted that this meeting was organized under the initiative of ADEPA (West African Association for the Development of Artisanal Fishing) with the support of AFSA.