In a parallel move to foster development across Africa, the African Pastoral Market Development (APMD) Platform, an ambitious initiative to transform Africa’s pastoral and livestock markets, was officially launched this week at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
The event, which spanned three days, brought together policymakers, development partners and various stakeholders from across the continent. The launch marks a significant milestone in efforts to improve food security and foster economic growth within Africa’s pastoral communities.
At the launch, Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha spoke passionately about the importance of the APMD Platform. He described it as a groundbreaking initiative that aligns perfectly with Nigeria’s commitment to transforming its livestock industry.
“This ambitious project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, targets eight African countries. It fosters inclusive, market-driven, and adaptive transformations within pastoral communities,” he stated.
The APMD Platform is focused on addressing key challenges facing pastoralists across Africa, with a particular emphasis on policy development, private sector integration, enhancement of data systems, youth and women empowerment and climate resilience. By improving market linkages and addressing systemic barriers, the platform seeks to facilitate a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient livestock sector.
Kenya’s Minister for Livestock, Jonathan Mueke, praised the platform’s design, emphasizing its potential to revolutionise the continent’s pastoral economy. He highlighted the importance of stakeholder collaboration in ensuring the successful implementation of the project.
“The platform’s well-defined interventions are poised to make the pastoral economy vibrant, enhancing household incomes and contributing to the commercial viability of animal-origin goods,” Mueke said.
He further stressed the need for robust stakeholder support to mobilise both financial and human resources, ensuring the platform’s success. According to him, the platform will enable the development of a profitable and sustainable pastoral sub-sector, critical to the continent’s long-term development.
Alhaji Maiha also echoed these sentiments, emphasising that the APMD Platform’s success could significantly boost national economic development and food and nutrition security across sub-Saharan Africa. He noted that integrating innovative technologies and creating functional, efficient markets would help mitigate the vulnerabilities of pastoral communities.
“The Ministry of Livestock Development is committed to transforming the livestock sector from its subsistence level into a thriving, commercialised industry,” Maiha remarked. “This transformation will create jobs, provide sustainable livelihoods, and promote peaceful coexistence between pastoralists, farmers and other stakeholders.”
The APMD Platform’s vision is encapsulated in its motto: “Empowering Pastoral Markets, Transforming Livelihoods, for a Resilient Africa.” This initiative seeks to strengthen pastoral markets across the continent to improve livelihoods and foster economic growth in rural areas. Maiha assured the stakeholders of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the platform’s successful implementation.
“The ministry will provide institutional and technical facilitation while mobilising other ministries and countries within the Sahel cluster to ensure the achievement of the set objectives,” he affirmed.
The APMD initiative, coordinated by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), has designated Nigeria and Kenya as “lighthouses” for the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions, respectively. Maiha expressed Nigeria’s readiness to work with regional and international partners to drive the success of the initiative.
Director of AU-IBAR, Dr. Huyam Salih hailed the platform as a pivotal step in advancing sustainable livestock development across Africa. She noted that livestock is central to food and nutrition security, economic growth, and trade on the continent, making the platform’s goals critical for the continent’s future prosperity.
Salih also emphasised that the platform aligns with Africa’s livestock development strategy, underscoring AU-IBAR’s commitment to transforming the sector by prioritising pastoralists’ needs, enhancing market linkages and promoting food security.
At the launch, trade experts hailed the APMD Platform as a cornerstone for sustainable development in Africa’s livestock sector. Senior Livestock and Fisheries Officer at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Mr. Yoseph Shiferaw Mamo highlighted the platform’s potential to create a more market-oriented production system that directly benefits producers.
“The APMD Platform is designed to create a more market-oriented production system, which will provide pastoralists with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive and climate-vulnerable world,” Mamo stated.
The APMD Platform, through its emphasis on data-driven solutions and stakeholder collaboration, promises to be a catalyst for transforming Africa’s pastoral communities into resilient and economically vibrant hubs.
