AU-IBAR,
in partnership with the Gambia government, Wednesday launched the National
Animal Resources Data Management and sharing platform at the Ocean Bay Hotel.
In
his statement, Hassan Jallow, deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture,
said the workshop was part of the government continuing efforts to improve
livestock production and productivity for poverty reduction and empowerment of
rural livestock farmers.
The
performance of the livestock sub-sector in the past decades had been
constrained mainly by inadequate policies, weak institutional arrangements,
disease and the deterioration of the natural habitat of indigenous animal
genetic resources due to deforestation, bushfires, overgrazing and
low-rainfall.
DPS
Jallow further said the VET-GOV programme is piloting the establishment of
ARDMP in 10 MS that would serve as a network of stakeholders for collection and
management of data under the existing livestock policy hubs.
The
livestock policy hubs are multidisciplinary groups formed to ensure broad
stakeholder participation in the development of livestock policy.
DPS
Jallow thanked the AU-IBAR for supporting The Gambia in the establishment of
the Gambia National Livestock Policy Hub in 2014, and also supporting the
inauguration and launching of the Animal Resources DATA Management Platform
(ARDMP)
Dr
Baboucarr Jaw, Chief Animal Health Officer at AU-IBAR, said the task of
strengthening animal resources data management by AU-member states has always
been at the core of AU-IBAR activities.
He
said the importance of a good information and data management system could not
be overemphasised, adding that the information is necessary for planning and
decision making, and for the promotion of trade and investment in the livestock
sector.
According
to Dr Jaw, the responsibility for providing leadership in this respect is one
of the primary mandates of the AU-IBAR.
Since
its inception in 1951, AU-IBAR has been engaged in providing information and
data management by AU-member states.
He
said the AU-IBAR had invested a lot of resources in the development of the
ARIS-2, which is an information system that would enhance the capacities of the
AU-IBAR, the RECs and the member states to collect up-to-date and reliable
animal resources data and information, as well as to promote sharing of
information and knowledge to support planning and decision making.
He
added that The Gambia had reached the stage of establishing its national data
management platform.
Dr
Jaw acknowledged the contribution of their development partners, particularly
the EU, which provided the support for the activity under the VEt-GOV project.
In
his welcome remark, the Director General of the Department of Livestock
Services, Dr Duto Sainey Fofana, said the overall objective of the platform is
to strengthen partnership and establish data management linkages and working
relations within various sources of data.
The
platform was also meant to develop a framework for the sharing of
responsibilities across various sources and agencies involved in data
management.
He
said the workshop was convened specifically to establish a national platform
for animal resources data management in The Gambia.
