Policies, Institutions and Capacity Building

The GPA was adopted by 109 countries, among which 24 are from West and Central Africa. National Government have to fulfil their commitment and develop their national action plans. Preparing and implementing a national strategy and action plan will enable these countries to translate the GPA and the momentum it has created into effective and comprehensive approach to the sustainable use, development and conservation of their AnGR. It will enhance their efforts to increase food production and food security, reduce poverty and promote rural development.

National Focal Points for animal genetic resources (NFPs) – established in the context of the Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources – are a key institutional element through which to build and maintain networks for the management of animal genetic resources. NFPs exist in all countries and they functioned well during the preparation of the Country Reports on AnGR, but currently their operation is limited because of a lack of financial resources.

A lack of trained personnel – both in terms of numbers and in skills – is a major impediment to developing and implementing animal genetic resources policies, strategies and programmes. Education and training in order to build capacity in all strategic priority areas are required. Collaborative networks of researchers, training and technology transfer programmes are therefore needed. Regional and sub-regional Institutions that will contribute to this effort include ITC, ILRI, CIRDES, and INSAH. Finally, Universities and Research Institutes in West and Central Africa should be supported to enable them train more Animal Breeders and Geneticists to provide the required human resource for the sustainable management of AnGR at all times.

The priorities for the S-RFP are as follows:

-       Support member countries to establish and implement their National Action Plan for Animal Genetic Resources [within their Livestock Policy]. Such policies and Strategies should be inclusive.

-       Support member countries to establish or strengthen their national breeding and conservation strategies as part of their National Action Plan for Animal Genetic Resources.

-       Facilitate regional communications.

-       Assist and enhance the activities of NCs.

-       Organize seminars and training workshops on characterization, inventory and monitoring of trends and associated risks, sustainable use and development and conservation.

-       Support the establishment of “centres of excellence”. These centres are located in countries of the sub-regions that have [best] [quality] [acceptable] training infrastructure and research centres, and where the importance of AnGR is recognized.

-       Ensure capacity building encouraged through training, seminars and workshops in the sub-region.

-       Support the establishment of “centres of excellence”. These centres are located in countries of the sub-regions that have the best training infrastructure and research centres, and where the importance of AnGR is recognized.

-       Support livestock farmer/breed organizations and NFPs of AnGR in each country.

-       Encourage countries and directly encourage young people to take more interest in the field of animal breeding and genetics.