23-07-2020 | di COOPI

RCA. A new centre for small ruminants' reproduction

Since December 2018, in consortium with Welthungerhilfe (lead), ACTED and CONCERN, COOPI carries out the project “Integrated support for the development of agro-pastoral sectors that promote growth and employment (AID-FAPCE) under the slogan "Yaka kinda yèrè" (the agriculture that arrests/cancels/breaks poverty)” funded by the European Union Fond Békou. The project is implemented in Central African Republic and especially in the central areas (Kémo and surrounding), southwest ones (Lobaye, Ombella M’Poko) and in the town of Bangui.

In the framework of the project and in collaboration with its partners ANDE (National Agency for breeding development) and FNEC (National Federation for Central African breeders), COOPI recently completed the construction of a pastoral structure in Damara (Ombella M’Poko) whose aim is the reproduction of goats and sheep coming from farms with high genetic quality.

The centre is composed by a sheepfold, a goat farm, two animal treatment rooms, two delivery rooms, two small equipment stores, a small animal feed store, a veterinary products store, an administrative office and a maize processing unit. Besides, the centre is equipped with a water tower and a solar lighting system.

Gorup of breeders after training session

To make the organisations autonomous and to guarantee beneficiaries’ empowerment, COOPI will encourage participants to invest their capital. This kind of action will guarantee an initial supply of small ruminants and it will favour the development of veterinary products and fodder’s shops.

Up to today, thanks to COOPI’s support, a group of breeders is already active in Damara. In September 2019, the group, composed by 25 breeders, received breeding’s kits and took part into a specific training on how to rear goats. Thanks to FNEC’s support, this group will guarantee the new centre’s management so that its action will be implemented locally and in the surrounding areas.

The new centre

To ensure that the actions implemented are sustainable, COOPI created a local credit and savings association within the same group of farmers. Thanks to it, breeders will collect their savings so that they can guarantee loans each other. This initiative has already been successfully implemented by other actors in CAR, to ensure the self-sufficiency of the members of pastoral organisations who will have access to credit to invest in the development of their activities, in this way.  Also, once the organizations have completed their structuring process and reached a level of activity that requires access to capital, they could be put in contact with microfinance institutions (MFIs) through the FNEC.

FNEC has been fundamental in the realization of the new centre in Damara. Founded in 1972, it is a recognized charitable socio-professional organization whose objective is to better central African breeders’ livelihoods, through their structuring, training and awareness-raising, as well as the production and sale of supplies and veterinary treatments and the creation of synergies between partners and private economic operators. In the framework of the European Union funded project, the collaboration between COOPI and FNEC aims to relaunch the livestock sector in Damara and create job opportunities, promoting a dynamic of sustainable growth throughout the country.