— To Strengthen Agricultural & Livestock System
In a landmark step for regional agriculture and livestock development, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, formally signed the financing agreement for the Regional Project as well as inaugurated the West Africa Milk Offensive Support Project (PAOLAO), in partnership with the French Republic.
The project is intended to strengthen a Platform of Solutions in Support of Pastoralism and Livestock Farming in West Africa (PEPISAO II).
The high-level ceremony brought together diplomats, member-state representatives, and ECOWAS leadership, highlighting the shared commitment to strengthening food security, sustainable pastoral systems, and inclusive economic opportunities across West Africa.
Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, underlined the transformative potential of the two initiatives.
PEPISAO II is set to improve governance of pastoral systems, foster cross-border conflict mitigation, and enhance social cohesion, while PAOLAO focuses on expanding local milk production, structuring dairy value chains, and generating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for farmers, pastoralists, youth, and women.
These projects demonstrate ECOWAS’s enduring vision of a resilient, prosperous, and integrated West Africa, ensuring that strategic interventions translate into tangible benefits for the region’s communities.
