Improving Livestock Feed Availability in West Africa
Climate variability and change have had a significant impact on the availability of natural fodder for livestock in West Africa. Droughts, shifting rainfall patterns, and desertification have all contributed to a decrease in the quantity and quality of grazing land, making it increasingly difficult for livestock owners to feed their animals.
To address this challenge, the project proposes to explore the use of index insurance to help finance the procurement and distribution of supplemental livestock feed. This could include concentrates made from agro-industrial by-products, as well as other affordable and nutritious feed options.
By ensuring that livestock owners have access to reliable and affordable feed sources, even during periods of climatic stress, the project aims to improve the resilience of the livestock sector in West Africa and safeguard the livelihoods of pastoralist communities.
Objetives and strategies
Transform Agro-Pastoral Systems
Improve the productivity and resilience of livestock production systems in West Africa through better aflatoxin-free feed management and climate adaptation strategies.
Enhance Livestock Feed Availability
Increase access to quality, affordable livestock feed by leveraging index insurance to finance the procurement and distribution of supplemental feed options.
Strengthen Local Capacities
Build the skills and knowledge of local farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses to scale up innovative feed production and distribution models.
Strategic Orientations
Improve Livestock feed Accesssibility
Focusing on three priority themes for the pastoral sector: pastoral resources, livestock feed and health.
Knowledge production by research
Resulting from research work Capitalization, action research on organization and distribution of feed systems to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Local actor’s Skill-strengthening
Throughout the whole chain from production, collection, processing and storage, ensuring the scaling up of the innovations and good practices analyzed.
Dialogue between research results and policymakers
The dialogue between researchers with political decision-makers will allow them to take proper measures of sectoral policies.
UPM PRISMA Project
The project aims to transform agro-pastoral systems to be more productive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable. The main objective is to improve the availability and access to quality livestock feed at the regional level through better production and distribution organization in West Africa, mainly in three countries, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Specific goals include:
- Enhancing feed distribution capacities for livestock feed banks and transhumant herders.
- Strengthening the capacities to improve the availability and access to quality livestock feed in West Africa.
Regional Impact: Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso
Increase feed production
Implementing strategies to boost the quantity of livestock feed available in the Sahel Region through efficient production methods.
Enhanced feed quality
Focusing on improving the nutritional value and quality of livestock feed to enhance the health and productivity of ruminants animals.
Reduction in Aflatoxin content
Implementing measures to minimize aflatoxin contamination in livestock feed to ensure animal and human health.
Improve Livestock health and productivity
Aiming to enhance the overall health and productivity of livestock in the Sahel Region by providing better quality feed.
Improving Local Production of Raw Materials
Enhancing Livestock Feed Quality through better Raw Material Production.
