PRISMA (Research and Innovation Project for productive, resilient and healthy agro-pastoral systems in West Africa) organized a workshop to co-construct a political advocacy plan. The workshop, responding to one of the project’s objectives to “contribute to national and regional sectoral policies and strategies through consultation with influential actors and communication of the knowledge generated by the project”, was held in Lomé (Togo) from November 21 to 23, 2023.
It brought together the project’s managing organisations Enabel, AECD and Luxdev, the focal points of PRISMA from the Ministry of Rural Development of Mali and the Ministry of Animal and Fishery Resources in Burkina Faso, and the PRISMA management unit from ARAA. The discussions focused on:
- Clarification of the role of ARAA in the implementation of this objective, recognized as determining the political dialogue at the ECOWAS level;
- Development of the advocacy plan following the 6 steps identified through DeSIRA LIFT support: 1) analysis of the context and problems, 2) definition of objectives, 3) analysis of power, 4 ) identification of targets and allies, 5) agenda and opportunities, 6) tactics and modes of action. This exercise made it possible to identify two main themes (the availability and accessibility of pastoral resources and livestock feed and aflatoxin and zoonoses) for political dialogue at the ECOWAS level and the leading role of the organizations (RMB) in the conduct of this advocacy. Several other themes have been identified for political advocacy at the country level. Here too, breeder organizations will take the lead in conducting advocacy efforts