AFRICAN UNION LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY INITIATIVE TO TRANSFORM PASTORAL SYSTEMS ACROSS AFRICA.
BY NJOKI KARANJA.
Nigeria Minister of Livestock Development Mr. Mukhtar Mahia alongside Kenya’s Director of Livestock Policy, Research and Regulations Dr. Christopher Wanga During the Launch of the African Pastoral Market Development in Nairobi.
The African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform, spearheaded by the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), has launched a groundbreaking four-year initiative aimed at transforming pastoral systems across the continent. The initiative, unveiled at a high-level event in Nairobi, seeks to address critical challenges faced by pastoral communities, including economic marginalization, food insecurity, and vulnerability to climate change.
The program aims to integrate pastoral communities into regional and international livestock markets by promoting policy reforms, engaging the private sector, and improving data access for informed decision-making. Special focus will be placed on empowering women and youth, improving access to nutritious food, and enhancing climate resilience in Africa's arid and semi-arid regions.
Kenya and Nigeria have been selected as pilot countries for the program. Kenya’s Director of Livestock Policy, Dr. Christopher Wanga, highlighted the alignment of the initiative with the Kenya Kwanza government’s priorities, emphasizing the importance of livestock sector transformation to boost local and export markets. Kenya's strategy, guided by its National Livestock Masterplan, focuses on investments in competitive value chains such as dairy, beef, and poultry, and addresses key challenges like feed shortages and livestock diseases.
Nigeria, with a population exceeding 250 million, is equally committed to modernizing its livestock industry. Minister of Livestock Development, Mr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, stressed the importance of transitioning from subsistence farming to a resilient, market-driven livestock sector. Nigeria’s efforts include infrastructure development for grazing reserves, disease control, and establishing trade routes for cattle, ensuring enhanced animal health and streamlined regional trade.
The APMD initiative emphasizes regional cooperation to address challenges such as climate change and disease outbreaks, with both Kenya and Nigeria prioritizing data-driven approaches for effective intervention. As the program progresses, lessons from these pilot countries are expected to serve as a model for scaling similar solutions across the continent, ensuring that pastoral communities play a central role in Africa’s agricultural and economic transformation.
