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Report chapter2014

Regional workshops on Animal Genetic Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa 2013

Philipsson, Jan; Ojango, Julie

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces serious challenges in food security and must considerably increase production of meat, milk and eggs to meet future demands, while the natural resources must be considered. Further challenges are that many indigenous livestock breeds are threatened by extinction and that there is a shortage of trained staff to work with these problems. Therefore, SLU and ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), supported by Sida, have jointly conducted Capacity Building for a sustainable use of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR), built on the concept "Training the Trainers", and addressing scientists in SSA. A selected number of previous course participants and also national coordinators of FAO and AU-IBAR (Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources), all potential leaders of future development of AnGR, were invited to regional workshops in November 2013 to be further empowered. The workshops were conducted by ILRI and SLU in collaboration with FAO and AU-IBAR and took place in Burkina Faso for West & Central Africa, in Rwanda for Eastern Africa, and in Botswana for Southern Africa. In total 147 people from 47 countries in SSA participated in the workshops in kind. Important stakeholders in SSA, i.e. TEAM Africa, RUFORUM, ASARECA (east), CORAF (west), SADC and CCARDESA (south), co-hosted or supported in kind the workshops. Thus, a politically high recognition was achieved. Proposals and networks were developed aimed at improving higher education in animal breeding and genetics for increased productivity and sustainable use of AnGR, and also to undertake relevant research and capacity development for improved breeding and conservation programmes. Proposals have been presented to various national and regional authorities. Continued collaboration between ILRI, SLU, FAO, AU-IBAR and TEAM Africa is anticipated.

Published in

SLU-Global Report
2014, Volume: 2014:6, number: 2014:6, pages: 114-119
Title: The SLU Global Food Security Research and Capacity Development Programme 2012-2014 : A Swedish Government Initiative
ISBN: 978-91-576-9255-9
Publisher: SLU Global, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences