La Confédération des Fédérations Nationales de la Filière Bétail Viande de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (COFENABVI-AO), headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, is a regional professional organization representing livestock and meat value chain actors across West Africa. Established in 2003, COFENABVI-AO aims to improve productivity, commercial performance, and policy advocacy in the livestock and meat sector throughout the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
Core Mission and Activities
COFENABVI-AO unifies national livestock federations to form a collective voice for producers, traders, processors, and transporters of cattle and meat. Its core functions include:
- Livestock Development Programs: Capacity-building initiatives in animal fattening, health, commercial planning, and market intelligence.
- Infrastructure Projects: Coordinating regional efforts to build or renovate modern slaughterhouses, cross-border livestock markets, and collection points.
- Policy Advocacy: Working with ECOWAS, UEMOA, and national governments to draft and implement harmonized livestock trade and sanitary regulations.
- Trade Facilitation: Developing livestock trade corridors, advocating for reduced cross-border barriers, and coordinating with customs and veterinary services.
Specialization and Core USP
COFENABVI-AO's unique value lies in its ability to integrate stakeholders across 13 West African countries, facilitating a coordinated approach to livestock trade, health, and market systems. Its distinguishing capabilities include:
- Regional representation of over 500,000 value chain actors.
- Established trade corridor partnerships with national livestock and customs authorities.
- Technical assistance and funding partnerships with institutions like USAID, ECOWAS, UEMOA, SNV, FAO, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Data and market intelligence systems to monitor animal flows, prices, and border transit conditions.
Financial and Operational Scope
While COFENABVI-AO functions as a non-profit confederation, its operations are supported by regional and international development partners. Key operational statistics include:
- Active members: Over 12 national federations including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
- Project funding: More than USD 15 million mobilized over the past decade through grants and technical assistance programs.
- Market infrastructure impact: Involvement in over 35 livestock market upgrades and 15 slaughterhouse projects across the region.
Shipment and Trade Facilitation Impact
According to ECOWAS trade facilitation records and field data:
- Annual livestock flows influenced: Over 2 million heads of cattle (including cattle, sheep, goats).
- Top corridors: Burkina Faso–Ghana, Mali–Côte d’Ivoire, Niger–Nigeria, Senegal–Guinea.
- Border crossing optimization: COFENABVI-AO has helped reduce livestock transit time by up to 30% in some ECOWAS corridors.
Its advocacy has also contributed to standardizing veterinary certificate recognition, promoting electronic documentation, and increasing livestock transport efficiency.
Target Beneficiaries
COFENABVI-AO serves:
- Smallholder livestock producers
- Cross-border traders and transporters
- Meat processors and butchers
- National livestock federations and cooperatives
- Policy makers and development partners
Its interventions are designed to increase income for rural livestock keepers and boost intra-African trade of animal products under the AfCFTA framework.
Capabilities
- Data Management: Regional database systems tracking market prices, livestock movement, and animal health events.
- Training Hubs: Capacity-building in business management, feed formulation, and hygienic meat processing.
- Policy Coordination: Member of ECOWAS Livestock Platform, contributing to regional livestock investment plans and sanitary regulations.
- Digital Innovation: Partnering with private tech firms to pilot livestock e-certification and traceability solutions.
Certifications and Partnerships
COFENABVI-AO is:
- A recognized stakeholder under the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).
- A technical partner for the Livestock Data Innovation Program (LDIP).
- A policy advisor to the UEMOA Regional Livestock Development Strategy.
- A member of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) West Africa platforms.
Testimonials
“COFENABVI-AO has brought a unified voice to West Africa’s livestock producers, making trade more efficient and inclusive.”
— Jean-Baptiste Sawadogo, President of FENABEV, Burkina Faso
“Through their training and advocacy, we now negotiate better prices and access cross-border markets faster and with less risk.”
— Mariam Coulibaly, Livestock Trader, Mali–Côte d’Ivoire Corridor
Achievements
- Instrumental in the drafting and adoption of the ECOWAS Livestock Mobility Protocol.
- Established the West Africa Livestock Traders Charter to promote ethical trade and welfare standards.
- Developed the “Livestock Observatory for West Africa”, an online tool for monitoring regional market dynamics.
- Played a key role in coordinating the “Pastoralist Emergency Action Plan” during Sahel drought years (2012, 2017, 2021).
Through its regional scope, policy influence, and grassroots engagement, COFENABVI-AO remains a cornerstone institution in West Africa’s livestock and meat sector development.
