Why do we need a new African livestock narrative?

A new African livestock narrative is essential because traditional perspectives fail to fully recognize the critical role of livestock in Africa's livelihoods, nutrition, and its capacity for climate change adaptation.

This document is the result of a request from the African Group of Negotiators Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES) to provide science based synthesis of the state of livestock systems in Africa and how they compare to other livestock systems around the world. The synthesis was meant to be a primer for African climate negotiators.

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Acknowledgements

This document is the result of a collaborative effort between the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the African Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES) and the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), enriched by contributions from the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) and the CGIAR Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate. It was presented to a diverse audience, including parliamentarians, at the All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture in Botswana in September 2023, and at the AGNES pre-COP28 meeting in November 2023.
 
Feedback and insights from these events have been instrumental in shaping its current version. As a dynamic, living document, we are committed to its continual growth and improvement, to reflect the expansion of our partnerships and the ongoing refinement of this shared narrative.
 
We welcome feedback and contributions. If you’re interested in joining this collaborative initiative, please reach out to Laura Cramer, Policy Engagement Specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute:  l.cramer[at]cgiar.org