The African Union’s InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have joined forces to standardize and enhance feed and fodder inventories across African nations. This initiative aims to build national feed balances, essential for addressing gaps in livestock feed availability and identifying investment opportunities to strengthen livestock resilience, particularly against climate and other external challenges.
As part of this effort, AU-IBAR and ILRI are hosting a five-day capacity-building workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, from October 28 to November 1, 2024. The workshop will equip technical personnel from Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Somalia with digital tools to improve feed data collection and analysis. By transitioning from manual to digital inventory methods, participants will gain more accurate, large-scale data collection capabilities.
The workshop outcomes will guide the development of National Feed Inventories and Early Warning Systems in the participating countries, contributing to more sustainable livestock practices and better preparation for climate impacts. The results will be shared in scientific journals, industry publications, policy discussions, and public media.
AU-IBAR and ILRI’s collaboration is part of the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) Project, which addresses the need for comprehensive data on feed availability and usage in African livestock sectors. Traditionally, ILRI has relied on the FEAST tool for local feed assessments, but this partnership introduces a wider “helicopter view” approach, using satellite imagery and spatial data to estimate feed resources across diverse regions.
The RAFFS Project’s findings highlight the need to upgrade national feed inventories in response to the impacts of COVID-19, climate change, and global disruptions like the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These improvements will also support AU-IBAR and ILRI’s Livestock Masterplans, creating a more robust framework for Africa’s livestock and feed sectors.
