June 7- 9^th June,  2018; DebreZeit, Ethiopia The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region is home to 360 million ruminants which contributes to poverty alleviation, provide food security and increased income. The sector is however challenged by inadequate breeding technologies which if well harnessed can improve production and productivity to improve income among livestock keepers. The extensive genetic diversity found in various species and breeds make the region a reservoir of important genetic variations (genes) which are critically required for improvement and to address future challenges (e.g. climate change, new emerging transboundary animal diseases) and exploit opportunities (e.g. biotechnology and change in market preference). Modern breeding technologies such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer among others focus mostly on dairy cattle and less attention provided to improvement of animals in the Arid and Semi-arid (ASALs) areas that are important in the supply of regional as well as markets to Middle East and North Africa    

 A two days’ experience sharing workshop and one day field visit to Kalit National Animal Genetic Improvement Institute (NAGII) were conducted from 7-9^th June, 2018 to share regional experiences and lessons among animal genetic resource centers and breeding and multiplication centers from each country and from International Centers for Agricultural research in Dry Areas

(ICARDA) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).  Participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan included directors in charge of national animal breeding division and managers of each breeding and multiplication center and animal genetic resource centers. The following were workshop recommendations:  

 Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti, Somalia and South Sudan should consider domestication of global plan of action on Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR ) as a national priority while Ethiopia and Kenya should implement their national plan of actions to enhance conservation, sustainable utilization, access to the genetic resources and sharing of benefits- Sudan and Uganda committed to achieve global plan of action by January, 2019;

1. Member states (MS) should adopt and promote the developed regional IGAD model policy and legal framework for Conservation, Sustainable Utilization and Access and Benefit Sharing of Farm Animal Genetic Resources;
2. Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti and South Sudan that have not privatized breeding services and Uganda where it is semi-autonomous should consider public private partnership engagement to attract more investment to enhance technology uptake;
3. MS should enhance extension services and capacity building at technical and community levels focusing on community breeding and other relevant programs
4. MS should develop/update /implement/enforce relevant strategies, policies and legislations that promote sustainable breeding programmes;
5. MS should conserve animal genetic resource as they utilize;
6. Besides promoting animal breeding and genetic improvement, MS should offer complementary services such as disease prevention and control, feed security, animal welfare and market linkages for breeding animals;
7. MS should strengthen and support systems for certification of improved breeding stock by authorized bodies to ensure quality control;
8. MS should utilize emerging genomic technologies, GIS and ICT for disease surveillance and management against risks extreme weather conditions
9. MS should utilize platforms/proof of concepts for ground-breaking reproductive, ICT, genomic technologies and catalyzing their innovative applications
10. MS should mobilize resources at national levels through increased advocacy and at international levels together with ILRI, ICARDA and IGAD through development of evidence  based concept notes;
11. IGAD/ ICPALD in collaboration with other relevant institutions like ILRI / ICARDA should support MS to implement breeding/conservation programs including Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
12. IGAD/ ICPALD in collaboration with other partners should support MS with special attention for communities to learn relevant experiences from successful breeding programs within and outside the region.

 IGAD/ICPALD expresses its appreciation to the World Bank and Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda for funding the activity through regional pastoral livelihood and resilience project (RPLRP)  

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13-06-2018, Juba, South Sudan: The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) this morning kickstarted a two day national meeting this morning in Juba, South Sudan bringing together legal and policy level experts from the Government of South Sudan to produce final documents for adoption of the IGAD Protocol on Transhumance.

The IGAD member states usually export live animals and meat to Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market meeting only 50% and 10% annual demand respectively despite the close proximity and rich resources among others.  The MENA market is however seasonal with high peaks during the Haji season when millions of live animals are exported especially to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for festivity slaughter. Moreover, the market is often reported as a buyer market. To mitigate the seasonal demand and promote continuous exports, it was necessary to explore new markets in South East Asia while at the same time expanding the existing market in MENA. In this context, the livestock and meat project funded by Italian Development Cooperation and implemented by IGAD and FAO organized a trade mission for meat exporters and government regulatory bodies from IGAD exporting countries to Hong Kong to explore opportunities of entering the market for meat and agree on the way forward.

Mission key highlights and recommendations

• The mission visited the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce. It has over 4,000 members who can be linked up with exporters from IGAD region for trade. Members’ contacts and profiles can be obtained from; wchamber.org.hk/
• The chamber chairman requested for investment opportunities in the livestock sector in East Africa to which IGAD/ICPALD Director, Dr. S. Munyua promised to invite the chamber of commerce to participate in the planned IGAD investment forum that will take place early 2019 to interact with the investment agencies from member states and explore opportunities
• Hong Kong can serve as a gateway to different cities that have a combined population of 66 million people that can provide good market for imported livestock and livestock products. Imported products can also be re-exported to China based on the close partnership agreement signed between Hong Kong and China.
• Meat import requirements for meat, poultry and game from countries with established protocols with the Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene were presented. More details available on http://cfs.fehd.hksarg/english/import/import_ifc.html
• Finally the delegation agreed on the way forward to timely submit application for export of meat products to Hong Kong from capable slaughter houses in IGAD member states

 IGAD/ICPALD expresses appreciation to Italian Development Cooperation for financing this event through the IGAD /FAO implemented livestock and meat project.

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22nd  May 2018, Naivasha, Kenya: The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) kick started a two day National Legal and Policy Level Experts’ meeting this morning at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort, Kenya to review the final Protocol on Transhumance in the IGAD Region.