NAIROBI, Kenya, February 9 – The African Union Inter-African Animal Resources Agency Resilient African Feed and Feed Systems Project (RAFFS) continental project was launched on Friday, paving the way for significant reforms in Africa's feed and feed sector. was held.
The project aims to ensure that the feed and fodder sector across Africa develops in a sustainable and evidence-based manner, and in particular that livestock-based products are available and affordable to those who need them most. We aim to guarantee that.
The RAFFS project was launched by Josefa Sacco, Secretary of State for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, at a ceremony attended by dozens of stakeholders from Africa.
Also in attendance were ministers from Africa, including Kenya's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mitika Lintuli, and Uganda's Lieutenant Colonel Bright Rwamirama.
According to Sacco, Africa's feed sector remains largely undefined and undeveloped, with few countries having an economic feed subsector.
On average, African households will need to spend more than 10% of their daily income on purchasing dairy products, she said.
“Producers, mainly in rural areas, generate vast animal resources that support a huge continental business worth billions of dollars annually. , manufacturing and services, and are critical to achieving the desired economic growth acceleration and structural transformation,” she said at a launch event held in Nairobi. .
He noted that data from the Fourth Biennial Review Report showed that countries with higher public spending on livestock also had better nutritional outcomes.
The Resilient African Feed and Feed Systems (RAFFS) project will strengthen access to affordable, high-quality feed and feed, essential to ensure efficient and sustainable production of livestock and livestock-derived foods. It is designed to leverage evidence-based solutions for short-term interventions.
“The results of the project's continental survey and six country assessments are very insightful and provide a deeper understanding of the root causes of the structural constraints that are hindering the growth of vibrant forage systems on the continent.” she added.
“At the heart of the project is building systematic capacity to better analyze and interpret data to provide evidence-based solutions.”
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