Promoting Youth Employment (Men and Women) in Local Milk Value Chains in West Africa and Chad, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Launches 23 Field Projects

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission launched this Monday May 8th, 2023, in Lomé, Togo, with the technical and financial support of the Swiss Cooperation, 23 field projects to promote youth employment in the local milk value chains in West Africa and Chad.

Selected in the region following a call for proposals for local initiatives to promote youth employment in the agroforestry and fisheries sector, particularly in the local milk sector, the field projects are grouped into three thematic areas:

• improving milk and animal feed production,
• collection, processing and distribution of local dairy products and specific equipment,
• provision of innovative financial and non-financial services that create employment for young people.

The funding of such local initiatives, led by the ECOWAS Commission, the States, socio-professional agricultural organisations, and the private sector, comes from the overall budget of Phase 3 of the ECOWAS Regional Programme to Support Farmers’ Organisations (PRAOP). The total cost of the 23 field projects amounts to seven million, two hundred and sixty-one thousand and seven hundred and one (7,261,701) USD, i.e., 4,307,123,406 CFA Francs.

To recall, Phase 3 of the PRAOP Programme falls within the consolidation process of the achievements of two previous phases, all funded by the Swiss Cooperation and that have enabled the development and validation of strategies for the promotion of local milk value chains and youth employment in the agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sector with their respective priority investment programmes.

Planned to last for 4 years (2022-2026), it specifically aims to improve the access of young people (men and women) to decent and lucrative jobs in the local milk value chains in the targeted areas.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).