By Eyob Salemot
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), through its African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform, will co-convene the first-ever African Pastoral Markets Forum from 13 to 17 July 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, bringing together policymakers, investors, financial institutions and private sector leaders to accelerate investment and expand livestock trade across Africa.
The five-day continental forum is expected to serve as a strategic platform for transforming Africa’s pastoral livestock sector into a more competitive, market-oriented and investment-ready industry capable of attracting increased private capital.
Driving Investment into Africa’s Livestock Economy
Organised under the leadership of AU-IBAR, the Forum will assemble government representatives, pastoral communities, development partners, researchers, financiers and business leaders around a common objective: strengthening livestock markets and unlocking new commercial opportunities across the continent.
Livestock remains one of Africa’s most significant economic assets. According to AU-IBAR, the sector contributes approximately 25 percent of agricultural GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa and generates between 30 and 80 percent of agricultural value added in many African countries.
More than 268 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists depend directly on livestock production, while up to 65 percent of Africa’s population derives livelihoods from livestock-related production, processing, trade and services.
Despite this enormous potential, Africa continues to capture only a small share of regional and international livestock markets due to persistent challenges including weak market integration, inadequate infrastructure, limited value addition, inefficient trade systems and insufficient investment.
From Dialogue to Investment
Unlike traditional conferences centred on policy discussions, the African Pastoral Markets Forum will adopt a private sector-led, investment-focused model.
Investment-ready enterprises will pitch directly to financiers, while investors will outline their financing priorities, investment criteria and risk appetite. The programme will also feature structured investment roundtables, business-to-business meetings and dedicated deal rooms designed to facilitate partnerships and develop bankable investment pipelines.
AU-IBAR says the Forum is intended to function as a practical marketplace where policy, investment, enterprise and market intelligence converge to generate measurable commercial outcomes.
Key Areas of Discussion
Participants will deliberate on several strategic themes aimed at strengthening livestock value chains across Africa, including:
- Expanding livestock trade and market integration through improved trade corridors, harmonised standards and efficient cross-border systems under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA);
- Mobilising finance through blended finance mechanisms, SME financing, trade finance and investment de-risking instruments;
- Showcasing scalable livestock enterprises capable of attracting commercial investment;
- Strengthening processing facilities, aggregation centres, logistics networks and cold-chain infrastructure;
- Promoting digital technologies and traceability systems to improve transparency, market information and price discovery;
- Enhancing water management and rangeland development as critical economic infrastructure supporting long-term livestock productivity and investment.
A dedicated Ministerial Segment will provide governments with an opportunity to reaffirm livestock as a strategic trade commodity while announcing commitments on regulatory reforms, market integration and trade facilitation.
Supporting Africa’s Continental Agenda
The Forum aligns with several major continental priorities, including implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Union’s theme on water and the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
One of the event’s highlights will be the presentation of livestock socio-economic contribution briefs alongside the official unveiling of the African Pastoral Markets Development Data Hub, a continental market intelligence platform designed to improve access to reliable data, strengthen investment decisions and support evidence-based policymaking.
Expected Outcomes
AU-IBAR expects the Forum to:
- Increase investor visibility of Africa’s livestock sector;
- Generate active investment pipelines and commercial partnerships;
- Strengthen linkages between livestock enterprises and financial institutions;
- Promote policy and regulatory reforms that facilitate trade and private investment across the continent.
The Forum forms part of a four-year programme supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at accelerating investment-led transformation in Africa’s pastoral communities.
Through this initiative, AU-IBAR seeks to reinforce its role in promoting market-driven livestock development while creating new opportunities for inclusive economic growth across Africa.
About AU-IBAR
The African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a specialised technical office of the African Union Commission mandated to coordinate and support the sustainable development, management and utilisation of animal resources across Africa.
Media Contact
African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
Email: ibar.office@au-ibar.org
Website: www.au-ibar.org
Reporting by:
Eyob Salemot
RussAfrik Correspondent
