Integrating Global Biodiversity Concerns in Agriculture: The case of the Sustainable Management of E

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Integrating Global Biodiversity Concerns in
Agriculture The case of the Sustainable
Management of Endemic Ruminant Livestock of West
Africa Project
Dr. Alamir Sinna TOURE, GEF/FP Bamako, MALI
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Project Background and Rationale  
• Key Actors
• Outcomes and Achievements
• Constraints or Challenges Encountered
• Lessons Learnt  
• Conclusion

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Sustainable Management of Endemic Ruminant
Livestock of West Africa

• The project titled Sustainable Management of
  Endemic Ruminant Livestock of West Africa is a
  regional initiative undertaken in the areas of
  agriculture and rural development

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High population growth (2.4), rising income
among certain population segments, rapid
urbanisation, and changes in dietary habits have
led to an increase in the demand for animal
products. Poverty in these four countries
affects mainly the small agro-pastoralists
category.
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• The project is aimed at preserving the
  biodiversity of endemic ruminant livestock and
  improving its productivity.
• The sectoral objective is to contribute to
  poverty alleviation and enhancement of food
  security in West Africa.

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Total Project Cost US 41.92 million
ITC
0.8
ILRI
0.4
COUNTRY
12
FAD LOAN
GEF
34
17
FAD GRANT
36
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NDama Cattle Breed
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Project sites in the four countries
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Technical and Financial Partners

• BANK GROUP
• African Development Fund (FAD)
• Governments of Gambia, Guinea, Mali and Senegal

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SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS

• ITC is an independent regional research
  institution in the areas of crop farming and
  livestock having its headquarters in Banjul.
• ILRI, based in Nairobi, has made its mission to
  enhance scientific knowledge and technical
  capacities in order to increase the standard of
  living of poor livestock farmers.

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• These specialized subregional organizations will
  work at country level with the support of the
  following actors
• Agricultural research institutes, veterinary
  research laboratories, institutions or agencies
  in charge of natural resource management,
  environmental monitoring centres, academic
  institutions, agencies and associations in charge
  of livestock marketing.
• COMMUNITIES IN THE FOUR PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES,
  IN PARTICULAR AGRO-PASTORALISTS

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OUTCOMES

• The project outcomes will be the following
• Increased production and productivity of endemic
  livestock
• Commercialisation of endemic livestock products
• Natural Resource Management at project pilot
  sites
• Legal and policy Framework for the sustainable
  management of endemic livestock
• Sub-regional system of information exchange for
  the conservation of endemic livestock

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LESSONS LEARNT

• The project fits within the framework of NEPAD
  programmes for agricultural development and
  environmental protection

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• These genetic resources are resources shared by
  the participating countries. The proposed project
  will leverage synergies through regional
  cooperation, pooling of resources and sharing of
  the results and experiences in the areas of
  genetic improvement and development of livestock
  production systems.

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Global genetic potential

• The project focuses on endemic livestock breeds
  (NDama cattle, Djallonké sheep and West African
  dwarf goat) representing a globally significant
  genetic treasure trove resistance to such
  diseases as trypanosomiasis, endoparasitosis and
  dermatophilosis. These breeds are adapted to
  ecological conditions prevailing in the sub-humid
  zone.

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• The project will provide an opportunity to take
  into consideration livestock farming policies,
  match animal population with available natural
  resources, by way of a reduction in livestock
  pressures and intensification of production
  techniques.

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In the 4 participating countries, the project
will contribute to

• The commitment to halve poverty by 2015 with the
  framework of the Millennium Development Goals
• Meeting strategic objectives in the areas of food
  security and poverty reduction
• Diversifying and strengthening the economic
  agricultural base in rural areas, and job
  creation.

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• The project constitutes an application on the
  countries legislation frameworks of various
  legal international instruments (Global AGR
  Strategy, CBD).
• At subregional level, the project will help the
  countries elaborate legislation to control
  cross-breeding among various livestock races.

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• While ensuring the preservation of biodiversity
  by protecting these endangered animal breeds, the
  project will remove obstacles to their
  sustainable management and exploit the tremendous
  potential of livestock breeding in the subhumid
  zone of West Africa.
• The promotion of endemic ruminant livestock
  breeding will be conducted within
  agro-pastoralists communities (in situ) with the
  goal of making this activity more profitable
  while simultaneously preserving these animals
  biodiversity and maintaining their habitats.

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CONSTRAINTS CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

• The main factors impinging upon project progress
  include the following
• Agriculture is essentially rain-fed and subject
  to the vagaries of climate,
• Inaccessibility of appropriate technologies,
• Limited access to primary health care in rural
  areas.
• Contributing factors
• Countries economic and social situation,
• Deteriorated conditions of rural roads and
  infrastructure, which create obstacles to
  marketing of production, in particular in rural
  areas,
• Unfavourable terms of exchange for most
  agricultural commodities.

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CONCLUSION

• Four West African countries have undertaken,
  within a subregional framework, to participate in
  the preservation of endemic ruminant livestock
  biodiversity, remove obstacles to sustainable
  livestock management and leverage the huge
  potential of livestock breeding in the subhumid
  zone of West Africa.