Launching the First Phase of the Aawkar Project

The Ministry of Livestock Development launched on Tuesday in Nouakchott the first phase of the Integrated Livestock Development Project in the Aoukar region.

The project, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), with a total budget of about 28 million US dollars, aims to develop basic infrastructure in the pastoral, social and educational fields, and enhance livestock resources in order to contribute to food security in the country.

The project coordinator, Mr. Ahmed Salem Ould Elaraby, reviewed the issues and obstacles faced by the project, how to implement environmental and social preventive measures, establish integrated agricultural poles, and conduct expansion studies of the program, which will include in the next stages other Aoukar regions in the Western Basin, Assaba, Labrakneh, Terreze, Tikant, Adrar, Inchiri and Thirs-Zemmour states.

While supervising the launch of this phase, H.E. Mr. Mokhtar Ould Gaguih, Minister of Animal Development, said that, throughout history, the livestock breeding system has been the backbone of our country’s livestock breeding systems. However, this production pattern is facing multiple and increasing structural challenges that may have negative repercussions on the sector, such as climate change and the decline of pastoral areas, the lack of infrastructure supporting livestock breeding, such as water points, improved pastures and the difficulty of cross-border breeding.

He added that based on these challenges, the OUKAR approach is a practical response based on a number of solutions, such as strengthening pastoral infrastructure by establishing water points, building small dams, defining grazing routes and linking them to markets and services; rehabilitating degraded rangelands, exploiting dense pastures during periods of abundance, establishing protected pastures, developing veterinary and pastoral extension services through mobile units, digitizing grazing routes, and developing early warning mechanisms for pastoral disasters. exploiting dense pastures in periods of abundance, establishing protected pastures, developing veterinary and pastoral extension services through mobile units, digitizing grazing routes, developing early warning mechanisms for pastoral disasters, and involving pastoralists in decision-making through regional and local pastoral committees.

He stressed that the sector enjoys a pivotal place in the program of His Excellency President of the Republic Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazwani, “My Ambition for the Nation”, which was embodied by the government of Prime Minister Mokhtar Ould Ajayi through the government’s general plan, which included fundamental reforms in the pattern and methods of dealing with the sector, according to an integrated and harmonious system to develop production methods, increase profitability and sustainable management of livestock.

For his part, AfDB’s Director of Agriculture and Food Industries, Mr. Martin Vergne, emphasized that this project is not just a project, but a vision for change that recognizes the central role of livestock in the livelihoods of rural communities, food security, and the economic fabric of this great country “Mauritania”.

He added that this phase of the project is particularly important as it targets the Eastern Basin, a region rich in pastoral resources, but also vulnerable to climate shocks, market isolation and social fragility.

For his part, the AfDB representative in our country, Mr. Hercule Yamorimiya, said that the Aukar project can gradually contribute to the transformation of empowerment in Mauritania, by employing nearly 60% of the population, creating a new natural dynamic to increase added value by working on the development of red grains and milk, and contributing positively to the diversification of the economy by taking into account the increase in exports, praising the relations between our country and this bank.

The launch ceremony was attended by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms. Amal Mint Maouloud, a number of sector leaders, the Director of Finance at the Ministry of Economy, and representatives of pastoral associations and associations in the country.