goat herd in Central African Republic

Improving Livestock Farming in Central African Republic

Photo by Beinvenue Gbelo/CRS

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In the courtyard of his home in the northwest of the Central African Republic, Pierre Bazama cuts small pieces of raw cassava and feeds them to his pigs.

 

feeding pigs in Central African Republic

Pierre Bazama cuts small pieces of raw cassava to feed to his pigs.

Photo by Beinvenue Gbelo/CRS

 

Pierre, who has raised animals all his life, looks around happily, surveying the pens of his other animals: chickens, ducks, goats and sheep.  

“God often gives people gifts; what he gave me was to be a breeder," Pierre says. “So, I do it with love and patience to make a living.”   

Pierre has been raising animals for 22 years, but it was only recently that he received formal training in breeding and animal care. Today he is the leader of the Merci na Nzapa, or “thanks to God” livestock group and formally trains other groups in his and nearby communities. 

This change came about in December 2023, when Pierre was invited to take part in the I Londo I Mai: Reinforcing Resilience in the Central African Republic project, which is implemented by Catholic Relief Services in partnership with All for Peace and Dignity, with funding from U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.  Pierre and other participants took part in a training course on best practices for raising and breeding animals.  

 

man feeds goat in Central African Republic

Pierre Bazama feeds one of his goats.

Photo by Beinvenue Gbelo/CRS

 

Over the course of six days, training participants attended theoretical and practical lessons that covered topics such as how to prepare pens and shelters, types and frequency of feeding, gestational care, and disease prevention, detection and treatment.  

At the end of the training, Pierre returned home to pass on what he had learned to others. 

“Previously, the animals were roaming free,” Pierre says. “We lost the animals, which were either stolen or they ate things that cost them their lives. I didn't know how to monitor the health of my animals.” 

And if Pierre loses an animal, he loses the means to care for his family. While community members can call the National Livestock Development Agency for support, there are no animal doctors or veterinary pharmacies in the village.  

Today, Pierre has built specialized shelters for each type of animal to keep them safe from the elements and theft. He monitors their diets and closely watches their health.  

 

portrait of livestock breeder in Central African Republic

Livestock breeder Pierre Bazama shares his knowledge with others in his community.

Photo by Beinvenue Gbelo/CRS

 

“Now that I've received the training, I can detect if an animal is not doing well,” Pierre says. “We often manage to save the lives of our animals.” 

Pierre, who is teaching two of his sons so that they can one day take over his business, says he dreams of owning a larger piece of land, where he can build bigger shelters for his animals and increase their numbers. 

“Livestock farming is a factor in the development of a country,” Pierre says. “When you have a lot of animals and you sell, you get money that allows you to invest and carry out certain projects and care for your family.”   

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I Londo I Mai  is a 24-month project that began in June 2023 runs through May 2025. The project funded by USAID/BHA, implemented by Catholic Relief Services with our local partner All for Peace and Dignity.  The project aims to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable and conflict-affected families and improve their economic resilience, particularly in the sub-prefectures of Bouar, Bossemptélé and Bozoum in the northwest of the Central African Republic.    

To achieve this goal, the project conducted three in-kind food distributions to families affected by conflict and included a cash transfer for nutrient-rich products, the distribution of seeds and farming tools, and training on agricultural practices to improve agricultural production.     

In addition to ensuring access to food, the project also facilitated the creation and support of Savings and Internal Lending Communities groups. It included training on developing business plans for young entrepreneurs and sanctioned cash grants for start-ups to improve paricipants’ economic recovery. More than 19,000 people benefited from the ILIM project in 2024.     

 

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