The project: “Facilitating voluntary commitment for biodiversity” (Biodev2030) has begun an important phase of its implementation. This is the stage of dialogue with actors in the livestock sector. A two-day workshop opened for this purpose, this Wednesday, September 28, 2022, in Ouagadougou.

The project: “Facilitating Voluntary Commitment for Biodiversity” (Biodev2030) is at a crucial phase in its implementation. Indeed, in order to have the voluntary adherence and commitment of all actors, especially those in the livestock sector, an inclusive and participatory dialogue is imperative. This Wednesday, September 28, 2022, a 48-hour workshop opened. Face to face, the actors of the livestock sector and the actors implementing the Biodev2030 project.

Why exchanges with actors in the livestock sector? On this question, the CDD/SP-CNDD focal point, Amadé Ouedraogo, maintained that livestock farming contributes 18% to the formation of the gross domestic product and is practiced by more than 80% of the population. Livestock products, he continued, are the country's third largest export product and generate 26% of export earnings. In addition to this, the national herd is characterized by the existence of a large number of very diverse livestock.

However, breeding systems combined with the growth in livestock numbers lead to environmental degradation and pressures on biological resources. And according to a recent study carried out as part of the implementation of the project, livestock activities intervene in the main mechanisms responsible for the erosion of biodiversity: modification of natural habitats, overexploitation of species, pollution, biological invasion.

The same study also made it possible to review the characteristics of the sector and its actors, to identify good practices in favor of biodiversity that could be scaled up and accompanying measures to facilitate their adoption.

This is the whole meaning of this participatory dialogue around these ideas. All things that will lead to the development of voluntary commitments accompanied by an action plan and monitoring indicators. With regard to good practices in the field of livestock, the technical assistant of the BioDev2030/IUCN project, Amadou W. Ouedraogo, mentioned fodder farming, which makes it possible to produce food for livestock. A good practice that is widely developed in Burkina Faso is the recovery of degraded land.