By Eddah Waithaka
Today, the African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform was officially launched at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. This groundbreaking four-year pan-African initiative aims to facilitate market-oriented, adaptive changes in pastoralism, significantly contributing to the advancement of Inclusive Agricultural Transformation throughout Africa.
The launch was graced by the Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, who highlighted the importance of this initiative for the region.
This initiative is intended to strategically shape, promote, and improve market-driven interventions that aim to incorporate pastoral communities into livestock markets. It will enable coordinated efforts through multi-stakeholder forums to carry out priority actions focused on three core pillars and three cross-cutting lenses.
The APMD Platform will emphasize three critical focus areas essential for transforming the pastoral sector in Africa. First, it aims to enhance Feed Security and Production Inputs by advocating for market-oriented mechanisms and inclusive policies that promote equitable land use and governance.
Second, the platform will focus on Formal Market Integration, encouraging value addition and fostering investment within the pastoral livestock sector. Lastly, it seeks to Remove Trade Barriers by advocating for the harmonization of regional and international livestock trade.
Dr. Huyam Salih, AU_IBAR, Director, underscored the importance of the APMD Platform, heralding a new era for Africa’s pastoral sector.
Speaking during the launch, APMD Project Director Ahmed Elbeltagy conveyed his appreciation to all partners and stakeholders. He extended his thanks to AU_IBAR for its dedication to enhancing pastoral systems in the face of challenges such as climate change and population growth.
Also, Elbeltagy urged everyone to collaborate, innovate, and strive for a prosperous future for Africa’s pastoral communities.
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In addition, the event included a Stakeholders’ Inception and Official Launch Workshop, which convened essential participants from the pastoral livestock sector to review and validate baseline assessments, establish priority actions, and finalize implementation strategies.
This workshop was instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for the platform’s effective operation and governance, facilitated by its Pillar Working Groups, Technical Committees, and Steering Committees.
