Farmers’ renew bid to save indigenous livestock breeds

The Kenyan business and agriculture industry is on an upward trajectory with the recent 2016 Africa forum for protection, preservation and promotion of African indigenous livestock breeds happening in Nairobi this week.

Aimed at raising awareness on the current and potential value of indigenous livestock breeds in Africa, the forum ran by eastern African farmer federation (EAFF) in collaboration with PAFO attracted dignitaries from across Africa and has been going on for three days.

In his opening remarks, the director of Africa union inter african bureau for animal resources (AU-IBAR), Ahmed Elsawalhy noted that Indigenous Livestock played important roles in many African communities and continually contributes effectively to food security.

In light of this, he pledged to support regional farmers’ organization in resource mobilization to explore potential for livestock and have farmers through their organization benefit from the animal resource information. Ahmed Elsawalhy also informed the participants that AU AIBAR, in collaboration with member state and other stakeholders, has developed the livestock strategy to guide farmers on the best options and approaches in the face of multiple challenges facing livestock sector including those related to climate change.

Representing the East African farmers’ federation, President, Philip Kiriro observed that the livestock experts’ forum was timely and had the backing of the farmers from various parts of Africa. According to Kiriro, the purpose of the forum was to raise awareness on the current and potential value of indigenous livestock breeds in Africa as a means to protect their populations, preserve their genetic purity and promote their use.

With proper briefing in regards to the theme: protection, preservation and promotion of African indigenous livestock breeds participants came with a wealth of research material, questions and suggestions that would promote sharing and learning among farmers, experts and decision makers from different agricultural sub-sectors, all in a bid to foster the up scaling of best practices across Africa and promote development of the agriculture and rural sector.