The 8th Africa Animal Welfare Conference 2024, held in Nairobi from September 30 to October 2, brought together stakeholders committed to advancing animal welfare across Africa. Representing One Health and Development Initiative (OHDI) at this esteemed event were our Founder, Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore, and Executive Director, Ilunamien Aisedion. Dr. Kikiope’s presentation, titled Implementing Farmed Animal Welfare Training: Successes, Experiences, and Scale-Up, highlighted OHDI’s groundbreaking work in improving Farmed Animal Welfare (FAW) through education, training, and advocacy.
The Africa Animal Welfare Conference served as a vital platform for addressing animal welfare as a component of sustainable development across Africa. The conference is co-hosted by the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and it unites stakeholders from various sectors to discuss the links between animal welfare, human health, environmental conservation, and sustainable development.
Why is Farmed Animal Welfare Important in Africa?
In Africa, livestock plays a crucial role in the livelihood of communities. About 50% of African households rely on farmed animals for food security, nutrition, income, and well-being. The continent is home to a significant number of farmed animals, including chickens, goats, sheep, cattle, and fish. However, the welfare of these animals is often neglected due to limited awareness of animal welfare, inadequate training on best practices, and a lack of resources to implement best animal welfare practices.
In her presentation, Dr. Kikiope highlighted how our training program has enhanced farmed animal welfare knowledge and skills among farmers, veterinarians, animal health professionals, policymakers, and students. Key achievements include developing comprehensive training guides, organizing Training-of-Trainers sessions on fish and hen welfare (including online modules), and implementing fish welfare and hen welfare advocacy efforts.
We are delighted to have been a part of this conference and to share OHDI’s progress and insights in advancing farmed animal welfare across Africa. It was an invaluable opportunity to connect with like-minded stakeholders, learn from diverse experiences, and strengthen our commitment to humane, sustainable practices within the One Health framework. We look forward to continued collaboration with partners and advocates to scale our impact and drive meaningful change for animals, communities, and the environment.