Africa: AU Guidelines to Secure Pastorlarism and Prevent Conflict in Africa

26 September 2022
African Union (Addis Ababa)
press release

Pastoralism is the dominant livestock production system in most of Africa. Pastoral practices are based on local endogenous knowledge of both the environment and the animal. It is based on the continued capacity to adapt to a harsh environment, characterized by the scarcity, dispersion and variability of natural resources over vast territories.

The African Union Commission through its specialized technical office Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development (SAFGRAD) of the African Union has organized a meeting to popularize the African Union guidelines to secure pastoralism and prevent conflict in Africa. The meeting took place in Ndjamena, Chad from 6-8 September, 2022 with the participation of pastoral and farmer organizations; Regional Economic Communities (RECs); relevant national and international organizations and media. The meeting hosted by the Ministry of Livestock and Animal Productions of the Republic of Chad.

H.E. Dr. Abdelrahim Awat Atteib, Minister of Livestock and Animal Productions expressed his gratitude to the African Union Commission for organizing this important meeting in his country which is considered an agro-pastoral area where livestock occupies an important position with more than 40% of active population and representing 39% of Gross Domestic Product(GDP).He added that, this sub-sector is also representing 80% of livestock which is governed by highly diversified mobile pastoral systems that are largely dependent on renewable natural resources. These natural resources, which are closely dependent on the rains, quickly become scarce and leave 4 to 5 months of challenges for animal feeding. Pastoralism in the Sahelian zone is not only a source of wealth, it is also a way of life, a system of production and adaptation to various environmental constraints including climate change, the minister said.

In his statement Dr. Ahmed Elmekass, Coordinator of AU-SAFGRAD has thanked the Government and people of the Republic of Chad for hosting the meeting and he has highlighted the efforts done by African Union in this area through a number of resolutions and decisions made by the Heads of State and Government who have always put farmers and pastoralists in front of its development Agenda. Among which the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and its companion document of livestock, Malabo declaration 2014 and the African Union agenda 2063. The guidelines document was endorsed by the "Specialized Technical Committee (STC) of Ministers in-charge of Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment in 2021", and by the Executive Council of the African Union in February 2022, Dr. Elmekass said. He also stressed the importance of having this guideline to prevent conflicts in Africa and he called RECs and MS to use this guidelines in developing their own protocols /agreements.

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