[WEBINAR RECORDING] – Local Breeds for Sustainable Livestock Systems in Africa. Episode 3

Episode 3. Co-creating the agri-food systems of tomorrow with local breeds: research priorities and practical prospects

On Monday, February 9, 2026, the TSARA initiative—specifically its“Livestock” thematic group—hosted a third webinar to provide an overview of current knowledge and research on local breeds and their contributions.

REPLAY

Translation available by activating the "subtitles" function at the bottom right of the video.

PROGRAM

• Key messages presented in episodes 1 and 2 ( Prof. F. Meutchieye, U. Dschang, Cameroon)
• What are the prospects following the CBBP survey? Unlocking the potential of community-based breeding programs in Africa (Dr. S. Fabre, INRAE, France; Dr. S. Bedhiaf-Romdhani, INRA, Tunisia; Dr. A. Haile, ICARDA, Ethiopia; Dr. M. Chadiyia, ARC, South Africa)

– Socioeconomic Challenges for the Future of Indigenous Breeds (Dr. G. Tesfahun, ICARDA Morocco)

– General discussion: What are the research prospects (major challenges, scientific questions and expected results, geographical scope, partnerships between Africa and Europe)?

– Conclusion: P . Bonnet (CIRAD France), S. Bedhiaf-Romhdani (INRAT Tunisia)

SUMMARY OF THE PARTICIPATORY SESSIONS

Local breeds are a key driver of sustainable livestock systems, but their development faces several major challenges. Politically, they compete with exotic breeds, which are often favored by public policies for their productivity, making it difficult to justify investments in local breeds. From a scientific perspective, there is a lack of technical clarity and clear indicators to objectively assess their economic value and genetic vulnerability.From a technical perspective, the central dilemma lies in balancing genetic improvement (productivity) with the preservation of hardiness and adaptation to the local environment. In terms of governance, there is a tension between a rigorous scientific approach and the necessary involvement of local communities, especially in small-scale livestock operations.

To address these challenges, a multidisciplinary approach is proposed, combining genomics, physiology, econometrics, and the social sciences. The goal is to change perceptions of local breeds—often considered “low-yielding”—by providing concrete economic evidence and decision-making tools, and by highlighting their non-genetic benefits (collective organization, climate mitigation).

The emerging trend favors amulti-scale approach: starting at the local level (to address territorial, climatic, and socio-economic realities) and linking it to the regional and pan-African levels (for methodology, funding, and comparisons). The idea of a pan-African “umbrella” project coordinating local Living Labs rooted in their territories is emerging as a promising avenue for structuring the selection, improvement, and conservation of local breeds on a continental scale.

You can view the summary (PDF) below:

SEE ALSO

Episode 1: Meeting the Challenges of Tomorrow

Episode 2: Local Breeds: Unlocking Their Genetic Potential and Socio-Ecological Importance

Contacts: Stephane.favre@inrae.fr; MokolobateM@arc.agric.za; bedhiaf.sonia@gmail.com; A.Haile@cgiar.org

Organizing Committee: Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani (INRA), Pascal Bonnet (CIRAD), Motshabi Chadyiwa (ARC), Benoît Dedieu (INRAE), Stéphane Fabre (INRAE), Aynalem Haile (ICARDA), Girma T. Kassie (ICARDA), Felix Meutchieye (University of Dschang)