Promoting productive, resilient, and healthy agropastoral systems is a major concern for stakeholders in the livestock and pastoralism sector in West Africa. The three (03) implementing agencies of the Research and Innovation for Productive, Resilient and Healthy Agropastoral Systems in West Africa (PRISMA) project - Enabel, LuxDev and AECID - met in Bamako (Mali) from 3 to 7 June 2024 to share, with stakeholders from the three (03) benefiting countries (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger), the project achievements, lessons learned and challenges, as well as opportunities to be seized as part of the policy dialogue.
The meeting provided a platform for each of the implementing agencies to take stock of the implementation status of the project activities for which they are responsible. Despite implementation challenges, the three (03) agencies have, on the whole, reported significant successes such as the launch of most of the studies to be carried out, implementation of the service contracts signed, completion of the inventory of animal feed banks, setting up of thematic groups, mapping of epidemiological surveillance players (tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis) and the EPIVET's operations analysis, establishment of 09 innovation laboratories, capitalisation of innovative processes linked to "carbon credits" and sustainable management of pastoral resources.
Anticipating the scaling-up of the conclusions of the ongoing studies through policy dialogue at regional level, four (4) priority themes have been identified, namely (i) conservation and restoration of pastoral areas with the aim of improving the availability and accessibility of pastoral resources, (ii) effective mechanism for the prevention and control of zoonoses in the ECOWAS region with the aim of limiting the risks associated with the spread of zoonoses through pastoral livestock farming, (iii) availability and accessibility of/to quality animal feed with the aim of improving the functioning of the supply chain for quality animal feed throughout the year and (iv) development of an index-linked insurance scheme to cover drought risks in the Sahel regions with the aim of reducing the impact of recurrent drought on livestock farmers' livelihoods.
To facilitate the management of potential obstacles and constraints during the policy dialogue, participants also discussed the main challenges facing the project. Discussions provided solutions that could help to overcome the challenges. Moreover, stakeholders identified several opportunities the project could seize and use for the dialogue. Despite the volatile context of the project (civil insecurity, political instability, climate change, ever-increasing numbers of vulnerable people, etc.), participants also reconfirmed the relevance and feasibility of the project's planned deliverables and the various uses that could be made by stakeholders. The first step in the implementation of the action plan validated for the conduct of the policy dialogue will begin shortly with the organisation of a preparatory workshop with the allies of the dialogue and members of thematic groups.