ASSOCIATED VOLUNTEER experts

Intervention on a Ministry multiplication farm

The agreement between the Ivory Coast's MIRAH (Ministry of Livestock) and AVe provides for AVe pig specialists to support a Ministry multiplication farm with around 100 sows (purebred breeding stock), as well as a number of pig farms monitored by the Ministry. Bernard and Gilbert were away for a week in August. They arrived in a context of ASF (African Swine Fever). As a result, their intervention was limited to the multiplication farm. This is currently being set up. In November 2023, AXIOM delivered some fifty purebred breeding animals, which were placed in temporary premises pending the construction of breeding buildings suitable for professional breeding. The AVe experts' recommendations focused mainly on the biosafety measures to be scrupulously observed, the layout of the building under construction, and preparation for the farrowings due to take place in the coming month. Other interventions will follow. It is imperative that this multiplication farm functions properly, as it will produce selected breeding stock that will be sold to the country's pig farms. This is the basis of the future Ivorian pork industry, which is being set up today.

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For each pig project, a building plan adapted to the size of the farm

Several agreements signed for pork projects in various African countries

Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Liberia, Senegal: projects to set up pig farms are appearing in several African countries. Thanks to an agreement with AXIOM (the French leader in pig genetics) and the distribution of the “Guide de l'éleveur de porc en Afrique”, AVe is now called on to support these farmers in the implementation of their installation projects. Drawing up a plan for the farm buildings, a business plan that answers the questions: “How much does it cost? “How much does it bring in? These are the terms of agreements signed with various investors from Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Liberia and Senegal. The projects involve medium to small-scale farms (from 50 farrow-to-finish sows to 15 farrow-to-finish sows). All these new investors want to set up professional farms with an economic objective for themselves and their countries (to reduce pork imports, which account for 80% of the pork consumed in their countries.

Exchange with officials (mayor, traditional chief...) Kitkot future dam area

AVe president meets partners (current, former, future) in Cameroon

Cameroon is the African country where Ave has intervened most often over the past 10 years. The purpose of the visit by Louis, President of AVe, was to meet “face to face” with the partners we know well through the support we provide, as well as with new contacts seeking our expertise. These direct exchanges are fruitful, as they enable us to better identify needs and respond to them later on. On the week's agenda :

• site visits to Kitkot: future hydroelectric dam project on the Sanaga River
• in Ntui: an agricultural project (crop production) on a 40-hectare site
• meetings: the Minister of MINEPIA, the President of the Chamber of Agriculture, the AFD agricultural delegate...
• a meeting on the key factors for successful pig farming in Africa, attended by some sixty people.

A full and diversified program, reflected in a number of new agreements

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About ten Ivorian pig farms audited by two AVe experts prior to the introduction of High Genetic Value breeding stock

Framework agreement between the Ivory Coast Ministry of Livestock and AVe

On March 1, 2024, taking advantage of the Ivory Coast Minister of Livestock's visit to the Salon de l'Agriculture in Paris, a framework agreement was signed with AVe specifying our involvement in the PRO PORC program (MIRAH's pork industry development program). The signing took place on the premises of IFIP (Institut Français de l'Interprofession Porcine), which has also signed an agreement with MIRAH. With IFIP, we work together to ensure that our interventions are complementary.

Renovation of a hospital in northern Cameroon

An agreement has been signed between the Christian Aurenche - Tokombéré Foundation and AVe to provide Eric, an AVe expert specializing in building construction, for the renovation of the Tokombéré hospital in northern Cameroon. The foundation is supporting the "health" component of a more global project, the Tokombéré Human Promotion Project (PPHT), in an area where living conditions are extremely difficult. The health component includes preventive and primary care in the villages and a 150-bed hospital. This hospital needs to be completely renovated.

QUALI'FARM Agreement

The project owner is a Senegalese who studied and worked in France, and who has now retired to launch an agricultural project in his native country. The project, on a 5-hectare plot of land, combines pig breeding with irrigated market gardening. His aim is to contribute to his country's food sovereignty, while at the same time creating a job-creating activity. AVe's pork and vegetable production experts will provide support to ensure the success of his project.

Construction site supervision for a dispensary and maternity clinic in Djilas, Senegal

An improved 2^nd edition of the guide

The 1^st edition of the guide, launched at SPACE 2023, was distributed in several African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Gabon... The 2^nd edition takes into account feedback from the 1st edition. As a result, it has been expanded (48 tip sheets), while remaining pedagogical: minimum text, lots of diagrams, tables and photos of African pig farms. By presenting good farming practices adapted to Africa, this guide presents itself as a guide to sustainable African pig farming.

After a year's collaboration, during which we got to know each other and carried out a number of actions together, we agreed to sign a new three-year framework agreement. Concrete actions carried out over the past year include: the publication of the guide for pig breeders in Africa, its launch at a joint conference at SPACE 2023 in Rennes, the start of distribution of the guide in several African countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, etc.).