Regional Transhumance Project

This project entitled “Assessment of the impact of transhumance on the sustainable management of animal genetic resources’ is supported by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) under the Funding Strategy for the implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources (GCP/GLO/287/MUL).
It will be jointly implemented by International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC) and the Regional project for the sustainable management of endemic ruminant livestock in West Africa (PROGEBE). Project’s duration is one year – April 2014 to march 2015. It would be undertaken in four West African countries: Gambia, Senegal, Guinea and Mali.
Transhumance is widely practiced by farmers under extensive livestock production systems in West Africa in search of feed and water. Interactions between indigenous and transhumant populations might cause erosion of endemic animal genetic resources. Therefore, the aims of this project are to:

1. Identify the impacts of transhumance on the sustainable management of animal genetic resources in general and trypanotolerant breeds in particular;
2. Develop mitigation strategies against negative impacts on animal genetic resources.