Mariama Sonko: Agroecology, Women’s Rights, and Seed Sovereignty
"When women have seeds, land, and knowledge, they can feed their families, their communities, and protect the future." — Mariama Sonko
Across Africa, women farmers are the backbone of food systems, yet they often face barriers to land, resources, and decision-making. Mariama Sonko, a farmer and activist from Senegal, has become a leading voice for women’s rights in agriculture, demonstrating how agroecology and seed sovereignty empower communities and protect biodiversity.
Mariama Sonko (b. 1970s) is a farmer in Casamance, Senegal, and the coordinator of Nous Sommes la Solution (“We Are the Solution”), a movement of more than 500 rural women’s organizations across West Africa. She is also a leader in AFSA (Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa), where she advocates for agroecology as an alternative to industrial farming and seed privatization.
Her work emphasizes that women farmers are not only cultivators of food but also guardians of seed diversity and traditional knowledge. Through training, advocacy, and community networks, she has helped women secure access to land, resist the pressures of genetically modified seeds, and strengthen local food systems.
Her philosophy begins with the recognition that food sovereignty depends on women’s sovereignty. She teaches that when women control seeds and land, communities gain resilience, biodiversity is protected, and the next generations inherit knowledge for survival.
Her teachings emphasize:
Seed Sovereignty: women as custodians of traditional seed varieties.
Agroecology: farming practices rooted in ecology, diversity, and community well-being.
Women’s Rights in Agriculture: ensuring women’s access to land, resources, and leadership.
Community Solidarity: collective organizing across regions to build strength and resilience.
These teachings come alive in the fields of Casamance, in seed exchanges, and in women’s gatherings across West Africa. Every time a woman farmer saves seeds or passes knowledge to her daughters, Sonko’s vision of resilience and autonomy is affirmed.
Her call to center women in agriculture acts as both philosophy and practice. Every action to protect seeds, reclaim land, or share agroecological knowledge carries forward her vision of justice and sustainability. Through these acts, her teachings become tangible.
We honor Mariama Sonko for her leadership in women’s agroecology and her commitment to seed sovereignty. Her work reminds us that the future of food in Africa — and the world — rests in the hands of women who care for the land and carry the seeds of tomorrow.
Resources & Further Reading
Nous Sommes la Solution (We Are the Solution) movement
Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (afsafrica.org)
Interviews with Mariama Sonko on women, agroecology, and seed sovereignty
