The Pastoral Policy Framework for Africa

The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affaires (UNOCHA), has initiated a pastoral policy intended to develop a pastoral policy framework for the continent designed to serve as an advocacy tool for promoting the development and improvement of pastoral communities across Africa.

The policy framework serves as a mechanism through which pastoralist life and livelihood matters find official recognition. It aims primarily at securing and protecting the rights of pastoral people and lays the foundation for a continent-wide commitment to political, social and economic development of pastoral communities.

It aims to provide pastoral people with open space for the definition and management of their own development activities, make it possible for appropriate interventions to address the natural, physical and anthropogenic problems of pastoral communities as well as create economic opportunities for pastoral people.

The policy framework development process is all-inclusive and highly consultative involving a wide-range of stakeholders, namely Regional Economic Communities (RECs), national governments, pastoralists and their associations, pastoral civil society organizations, the private sector and development partners.

The pastoral policy framework is currently based at the Directorate of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission (AU-DREA).