Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Abdessalam Ould Mohamed Saleh has signed a $767,000 agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to secure financing for the feasibility studies of the Inclusive Livestock Sector Development Project (AWKAR).
The AWKAR project aims to improve agropastoral resources in the Dhar area of eastern Mauritania, supporting the development of farming by creating new opportunities for projects and programs.
“Several challenges continue to hinder the sustainable development of the [livestock] sector, including the lack of infrastructure, the inadequate capacity of regional services, conflicts around natural resources, and poor added value. It is these issues that the project for which we have just signed an agreement aims to tackle,” Minister Saleh stated.
The new initiative aims to overcome these challenges through a multifaceted strategy that provides the industry with a portfolio of projects and an investment plan, as well as technical assistance from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
The deal is a critical step towards realizing the region’s agricultural and pastoral potential, helping locals whose income is mostly based on livestock wealth, and contributing to the area’s long-term growth.
