Press and News The regional pest and disease outbreak preparedness and response plan in West and Central Africa officially launched
Abidjan – Under the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), with CORAF (West and Central Africa for Agricultural Research and Development) in collaboration with AICCRA, the regional pest and disease outbreak preparedness and response plan in West and Central Africa was launched.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), in partnership with CORAF and the Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, have officially launched the regional pest and disease outbreak preparedness and response plan in West and Central Africa. This strategic initiative, launched during the 9th Ordinary Session of the West African and Sahel Seed and Plant Committee (CRSPAOS), aims to strengthen agricultural resilience in the region by anticipating and swiftly responding to disease and pest outbreaks that affect plants and animals across West and Central Africa.
The development of this regional plan was made possible with the support of the AICCRA project (Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa), led by the Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, in collaboration with CORAF, the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Regional Center for Applied Research for the Development of Agricultural Systems in Central Africa (PRASAC), and the WAVE Center of Excellence (CRE WAVE).
This plan is the outcome of collaborative efforts by regional and international stakeholders, working together to tackle health and climate challenges. Through this initiative, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding agricultural systems and ensuring that threats from pests and diseases are addressed promptly and efficiently,” stated Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at ECOWAS.
The plan’s development involved consultations and workshops aimed at anticipating the impacts of climate change on agriculture. The process began with a workshop in April 2022 in Saly, Senegal, followed by a training of trainers session in Dakar in October 2022. A Community of Practice (CoP) was then created to develop a roadmap, which contributed to drafting the initial version of the plan with input from regional experts in plant protection and animal health.
