Unlocking the Potential of African Livestock: Innovation, Performance, and Prosperity
During a webinar held on March 26, 2025, on the theme "African Livestock in the Era of Transformation: Innovate, Perform, and Prosper," Seynabou Drame, a dietitian-nutritionist, project management expert, and entrepreneur from Senegal, emphasized the importance of sustainable agriculture and livestock development in boosting local economies.
Breaking the Cycle of Unsustainability
"We cannot talk about local economic development without mentioning sustainable agriculture and livestock. We need to work on bio-fortifying milk, optimizing omega-3 rich meats, and addressing accessibility issues," Drame stressed.
She highlighted the need to break the vicious cycle between agriculture, health, and sustainability, emphasizing that investing in both agriculture and sustainable livestock is crucial. "We cannot continue to consume our resources recklessly," she warned.
Innovation and Accessibility: Key to Success
Drame lamented that innovation is not a priority, and that breaking the cycle of unsustainability is essential to combat malnutrition. She also cautioned against the persistence of accessibility issues, citing the high cost of chicken as an example. "If the population cannot access chicken, how can we prevent health problems? We need to adopt a holistic approach; one health."
Investing in Sustainable Agriculture
Drame reiterated the imperative of breaking the vicious cycle between livestock and health, stressing the need to invest in sustainable agriculture. "Chickens are expensive because their feed is costly. If we could produce cereals locally, prices would decrease. Tax exemptions for relevant businesses would also contribute to this goal."
The webinar, part of the Wings Growth Boost seminar series organized by Managers, brought together experts from Senegal, Mauritania, and Tunisia to discuss opportunities for collaboration between Tunis, Dakar, and Nouakchott under the WING4Africa program, supported by the Qawafel project funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France.
