The Regional Project for Dialogue for Peaceful Transhumance in West Africa (PRODIATA) held its 10th Steering Committee in Ouagadougou on June 22 and 23, 2023. With a duration of 59 months and a budget of € 4,111,111, including a European Union grant of € 3,700,000, PRODIATA began on August 1, 2018. Its goal is to facilitate peaceful cross-border transhumance and improve nutrition in West Africa.
The project has yielded significant results such as improved governance of cross-border transhumance at various levels of responsibility and a renewed perception of transhumant livestock farming by public opinion in the PREDIP zone countries and more broadly in the ECOWAS/CILSS zone. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which hindered the holding of high-level meetings and slowed down the availability of the technical module, the level of execution of the outputs is 70% and 68% respectively.
Significant impacts have been observed following the implementation of the project. Four countries have set up a formal structure for managing transhumance, as recommended by ECOWAS. Three Sahelian countries have organized round tables to mobilize resources to support the action plans of the national transhumance committees. Local populations are now better informed about the events of the transhumance campaign. In addition, most of the conflicts in the cross-border areas are settled amicably. Transhumance is increasingly valued for its economic importance and the protection of grazing areas and pastoral spaces has become a major concern for the authorities.
However, challenges were encountered along the way. The prohibition or suspension of transhumance in certain countries, the Covid-19 pandemic, insufficient resources to support the implementation of the action plan of the cross-border consultation frameworks, and growing insecurity have all been obstacles to the complete achievement of the project’s objectives.
Despite these challenges, PRODIATA is preparing for future actions such as supporting the structuring of the social bases of the OPR in the coastal countries, integrating multi-actor innovation platforms for natural resource management in the structuring of the CNT at the decentralized level, and continuing legal assistance to agro-pastoralists for the protection of pastoral spaces. Strengthening the collection of data on transhumance to prevent and peacefully manage conflicts as well as synergy between the CNT of the countries of departure and the livestock frameworks of the coastal countries are also planned.
Despite the challenges encountered, PRODIATA has made significant advances for peaceful transhumance and improved nutrition in West Africa. The achievements must be perpetuated and consolidated, and increased responsibility of the actors is necessary. By working together and continuing to adapt to the challenges ahead, we are confident in our ability to achieve our common goal of peaceful cross-border transhumance and improved nutrition.
Read more about projects from ROPPA: https://roppa-afrique.org/our-projects/