Mauritania’s Ministry of Animal Development has signed a landmark agreement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to bolster pastoral systems in the country’s eastern region, backed by a $500,000 grant from the Japanese government.
The agreement was signed on Monday in Nouakchott by Minister of Animal Development Mokhtar Kake and FAO Representative in Mauritania, Jean Senahoun.
The newly launched project aims to strengthen resilience among herding communities in the Hodh Ech Chargui (Eastern Basin) region, which is home to thousands of pastoralists dependent on livestock for survival.
According to the Mauritanian News Agency, the programme will directly benefit more than 4,000 herders through targeted interventions focusing on animal health, wildfire prevention, and sustainable rangeland management.
These initiatives are expected to enhance both environmental conservation and economic stability in an area frequently affected by drought, disease outbreaks, and pasture degradation.
“This partnership reflects the new approach adopted by the Ministry in line with the government’s policy of transferring expertise to herders and fully integrating them into sustainable development efforts,” the official agency reported.
Implemented by FAO and funded by Japan, the initiative is designed to introduce practical solutions and capacity-building programmes, including veterinary services, fire control training, and strategies for efficient pasture management.
These efforts are part of a broader campaign to modernize the livestock sector while promoting environmental sustainability and community resilience in rural Mauritania.
The project is set to serve as a model for future collaborations between Mauritania’s development agencies and international donors, particularly in the country’s more vulnerable pastoral zones.
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