Agricultural Audit of a Region Located 60 km North of Cotonou

As part of the agreement with PUM, Arnaud provided assistance to a Beninese NGO located north of Calavi. This NGO has already established a well-equipped and properly functioning clinic. It plans to develop agriculture in the area surrounding this clinic. Arnaud conducted an assessment of the area’s agricultural sector and made concrete proposals for development. This assessment was essential for the NGO’s director to define the project’s priorities. Left: Photo of Arnaud – Caption: Arnaud met with the village chiefs in the target area.

Following a positive assessment of three years of collaboration, PUM and AVe are extending their partnership

 The framework agreement signed in 2023 enabled AVe experts to carry out half a dozen missions on behalf of PUM, a Dutch organization that, like AVe, focuses on the voluntary transfer of expertise to developing and emerging countries. These missions took place in French-speaking Africa to the satisfaction of both partners.

Following the farm’s establishment in 2025, the challenging initial operational phase

After providing support for the establishment of the pig farm with 56 breeding sows in 2025, AVe is now supporting the farm’s operations through on-site visits by two experts: in January, René, a former pig farmer from Brittany, to help the staff adopt best practices; and in May, Alain, to provide guidance on herd management. This support is essential, given the staff’s current level of expertise in pig farming.

CESES (European Confederation of Senior Experts Services) is a network of 18 senior citizens’ associations dedicated to facilitating the transfer of volunteer expertise at the European and international levels. AVe is a member of CESES. New: Starting in 2026, CESES plans to bring together experienced international experts to respond to calls for proposals or expressions of interest published at the European level. Eight AVe experts have applied to take part in this initiative.

Field visit to the Pork Industry in Brittany for the Coordinator of the MIRAH PROPORC Program

On the occasion of the 2026 Paris International Agricultural Show, where Côte d’Ivoire was the guest of honor, several staff members from the Ministry of Livestock of Côte d’Ivoire (MIRAH) traveled to Paris. Among them, the PROPORC program coordinator traveled to Brittany to meet with various stakeholders in the pork industry. Bernard, a pork specialist at AVe, organized a schedule of meetings for her: with farmers, a producer group, a slaughterhouse, and more. These fruitful meetings provided valuable insights for the Ivorian pork industry, which is currently being established in Côte d’Ivoire amid significant challenges.

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Olivier and the CEO's driver

Bernard and Arnaud wearing biosafety suits (changed for each farm) at the end of one of the audits

Under the framework agreement between AVe and AXIOM (the French leader in pig genetics), it was agreed that AVe would conduct audits on farms set to receive high-genetic-value breeding pigs prior to their introduction. This is what Bernard and Arnaud did during a week in Cameroon in November 2025. This action prior to the introduction of breeding stock is essential in African countries where ASF (African Swine Fever) is widespread. The AVe expert provides each farmer with a roadmap tailored to their farm to ensure the successful introduction of breeding stock. This roadmap specifies not only biosecurity measures, but also actions to be implemented to improve farm performance.

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Coaching the head of agricultural production workshops at the high school

The LPTP 3 AE agricultural high school in Ouagadougou welcomes around 100 students each year. The school has set up several mini agricultural production workshops to provide students with practical training: pig farming, poultry farming, cattle farming, market gardening, field crops, methane production, etc. The school's principal wanted to set up professional management of these workshops so that they could serve as a reference for students. Louis, an AVe expert, provides this support remotely via monthly video calls, as visas are no longer being granted to French citizens. Gradual progress is being made in the various workshops.

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This five-day training course took place in Agboville, Côte d'Ivoire. It was organized by Ms. Monique Gueu, coordinator of the PROPORC program at the Côte d'Ivoire Ministry of Livestock. Bernard, an AVe expert, led the sessions on pig farming, while Denis, another AVe expert, led the sessions on farm management. The training was very well received. At the end of the training, each participant was given a certificate.

The first medical imaging building is completei

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