Background

Africa is increasingly coming alive in matters of development driven by the swift wind of globalization. The Continent, with its endowment of natural resources, a generally tech- savvy and youthful population, diverse animals, rich soils, mineral wealth, pristine environments, pleasant weather, a vibrant political leadership and academic rejuvenation that thirsts to do things right, is clearly on its way to achieving progress in multiple fronts. It also has an emerging consciousness in the areas of development, environmental conservation, animal welfare, food security and health. In relation to this, and recognizing the critical role of animals in the economies of African states, African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) spearheaded efforts to develop the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa [AWSA] as a way of consolidating synergy towards better Animal Welfare in Africa. Governments and Civil societies in the continent are currently at various stages of domesticating the implementation of AWSA, coordinated through the African Platform for Animal Welfare (APAW).

The Africa Animal Welfare Conference (AAWC), now in its fourth year, has steadily emerged as a major forum for practitioners and stakeholders in animal welfare to engage and build capacity in this sector, and furthermore, to relate the sector to relevant actors in development. From the first Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2017 to the third Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2019, the conference has steadily evolved as a premier platform for ventilating key concerns in animal welfare, wildlife and environmental conservation, human health and matters of sustainable development in Africa.

Over this period, some key concerns have taken significance during discussions in the conferences. They include:

1. The need to promote sustainable production and consumption of food in the African continent
2. The recognition that Animal Welfare is a crucial matter that calls for mainstreaming in development across Africa
3. The need for United Nations Environment (UNEP) to embrace animal welfare as a substantive issue that merits discussion at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) platforms
4. The need for concerted efforts to pursue partnerships with humanitarian agencies so as to improve Animal Welfare, and especially Animals in Disaster situations because they are often neglected.

The Conferences have offered a vibrant platform for discussion on Animal Welfare issues against the backdrop of Human Health and the Environment, giving a fresh outlook to the One Health concept with a clear definition of the link between human-health, animals and the environment.

The 4th Africa Animal Welfare Conference - Action 2020

Theme: Animal Welfare, Wildlife and Environmental Conservation for Sustainable Development in Africa: Enhancing Nature-Based Solutions.

In Africa, animals are an essential livelihood support and are deeply embedded in the overall socio-economic structure of the communities. In recent times though, there are concerns that with rapid industrialization and the changing nature of African economies, their welfare is getting increasingly compromised.

Animal Welfare, as a concept is rapidly gaining interest in Africa, and the time has come to define Animal Welfare in terms of development, food security and health related issues. As the African population grows steadily, there is more pressure on land and resources for production. The commercialization of agriculture and desire for mass food production is also resulting in the inclination towards factory farming, which has been shown to compromise animal welfare, and an increase in the use of chemicals in industrial agriculture and general food production, all of which have been shown to increase the hazards to human and environmental welfare. Mechanization of food systems is getting intense hence leaving in its wake environmental and health challenges in terms of pollution from fossil fuels and degradation of the soil structure.

The observation has been that with developmental advancements, comes consequent challenges. In Africa, there is imminent challenge of feeding people without increasing pollution of water sources, or even depleting them or lowering their water quality, maintaining the soil integrity and making sure that the welfare of animals is not compromised, and that health of the people remains a paramount concern. The protection of public health remains a paramount concern, especially with the emergence of dreadful pandemics such as the current COVID-19 which are increasingly getting associated with poor animal welfare and the destruction of ecosystems.

There is therefore the need to promote natural solutions, in our pursuits for food production and other developments to suit our needs. This will help protect the integrity of our soils, water bodies and environment. There is need to develop and promote nature-based solutions to ensure enhanced animal welfare, human health, environmental conservation, and development.

The conference will therefore focus on the role of animals and their relationship to conservation, health, livelihoods, and sustainable development, and looking at what solutions are offered by nature to mitigate the current threats to the ecosystem in general. The conference will hold dialogues on livelihoods’ support systems and the attainment of sustainable development and leveraging on better animal welfare for sustainable development. It is envisioned that the discussions emanating from the sessions will center around the connection of animals to overall socio-economic development in Africa and point out the unused and perhaps unstated potential that can be harnessed from animals to make them a core element in the development agenda of the continent while at the same time taking cognizant of their wellbeing. This will be expected to spiral into greater interest and investment in improving Animal Welfare in Africa, and consequently lead to better human and environmental health while spurring debate on the role of nature in solving the daily challenges we encounter as humanity.