Phase 1 of the Awkar program aims to enhance the value of agro-pastoral resources in the northeastern part (Dahr) of the Hodh Chargui region in order to strengthen food and nutritional security and the contribution of the livestock sector to the country's economic and social development, on the one hand, and to make livelihoods dependent on livestock resilient to climate change, on the other. Specifically, the project will contribute to increasing production and productivity, processing and access to national and international markets for animal products, strengthening the resilience of agro-pastoral communities and promoting entrepreneurship among young people and women. This will be done while taking into account the principles of inclusion and "do no harm" as well as a preventive approach to avoid the project causing the initial situation to worsen, particularly in terms of the emergence of conflicts. The modernization and transformation of the animal resource management system provided for in this investment project will enable greater added value and increased production and productivity for more sustainable management. Finally, the implementation of the project will contribute to increasing the livestock sector's share of GDP while respecting the environment.

Phase 1 of the Awkar Program (Awkar-P1 Program) is aligned with the SCAPP Action Plan, in particular strategic lever 1 "promoting strong, sustainable and inclusive growth" in intervention 1.2 "Increasing the benefits of the livestock sector". The cost excluding taxes and duties of the first phase of the Awkar Program is estimated at 21.408 million UA. The Bank will contribute up to 18.3 million UA, representing 85.48 % of the total cost of the program (including contingencies).

The project covers the Moughataa (prefectures) of Oualata, Nbeiket Lahouach, and Nema, as well as four territorial municipalities in the Hodh Chargui region (AdelBagrou, Vassale, Aoueinatt Zbell and Bousteila). The Hodh Chargui region was chosen because it has more than 50% of the country's livestock and vast natural pastures that are barely exploited. However, the region faces the following constraints: (i) the scarcity and poor distribution of water points, particularly wells and ponds, force herders to travel long distances, thus increasing the costs associated with pastoralism and exacerbating conflicts between communities for access to limited water resources; (ii) lack of support infrastructure such as adequately equipped vaccination parks and livestock markets, which severely limits opportunities for marketing and genetic improvement of livestock. Moreover, it is a region that has benefited from very little investment so far. The project targets approximately 100,440 direct beneficiaries, including (i) transhumant and agropastoral breeders, (ii) actors in the three sectors of red meat, milk and leather, (iii) herders, (iv) farmers, (v) socio-professional organizations of livestock farming, (vi) SMEs/SMIs of services to the sector of , processing and distribution, with a focus on those owned and managed by women and young people (women and men) (vii) and the public services in charge of livestock farming as well as the departments in charge of livestock farming development within the Hodh Chargui regional council and the other targeted local authorities. The indirect beneficiaries are estimated at around 334,178 individuals.

AfDB Team Leader:

Youssouf KABORE - Livestock Officer, AHAI1
Email: y.kabore@afdb.org
Website: www.afdb.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/