FAO.org

In a move to boost livelihoods for livestock farmers in Burkina Faso, the African Development Bank (AfDB), with the support of the FAO Investment Centre, have launched a project which aims to modernize meat production and livestock value chains.

The goals are to sustainably improve the productivity and production of livestock, including cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry.

The project – with an investment of USD 45.51 million – also aims to enhance the resilience of agro-pastoralists to climate change and promote standardized processing of animal products. This in turn is set to improve access to national and regional markets.

The target is to directly benefit 30,000 agricultural workers, with a focus on empowering women and supporting around 7,500 internally displaced persons.

Approximately 4,000 new jobs are anticipated, alongside improvements in living conditions for a wider rural population of around 210,000.

Mohamed Manssouri, Director of the FAO Investment Centre, said: “FAO is partnering with AfDB to support Burkina Faso's livestock farmers in generating more sustainable livelihoods and building resilience.”

Supporting livelihoods across livestock value chains

Burkina Faso’s livestock farmers face persistent challenges such as security concerns, low productivity, climate-related challenges, and outdated processing facilities.

Youssouf Kabore, AfDB Livestock Specialist, said; “This project will invest in improving livestock production and productivity, modernizing farms, and establishing standardized processing platforms.”

The new project aims to bring together public institutions, cooperatives and research organizations and generate dialogue with private sector stakeholders, to build serviceable, sustainable livestock supply chains.

Longer-term goals include boosting meat exports and enhancing incomes for agricultural workers and improving food and nutritional security.

Bobo-Dioulasso in the Hauts-Bassins region will serve as the project's hub, housing a new state-of-the-art slaughterhouse and meat processing plant.

The project aligns with Burkina Faso's broader agricultural policy reforms and complements existing agricultural projects with the Government of Burkina Faso and AfDB – such as the Integrated Development of Maize, Soya, Poultry and Fish Value Chains and Resilience Project (PIMSAR), and the Agricultural Production Development Project (PURPA-BF).

Building more energy-efficient, low-carbon meat value chains

The project aims to mitigate environmental impacts from livestock production in Burkina Faso by promoting low-carbon technologies within meat value chains and renewable energy sources in meat processing units, to reduce overall carbon footprint throughout meat value chains.

The project will work to minimize waste through recycling and repurposing byproducts, to ensure a more sustainable and resource-efficient production cycle.

Haingo Rakotondratsima, Investment Support Officer, FAO Investment Centre and project formulation team leader said; “We anticipate that modernization efforts will not only improve livestock farming systems but also create jobs, add value to livestock production and contribute to reducing emissions in meat value chains.