Meeting in Grand-Bassam on July 14 and 15, 2026, experts from the livestock and research sectors finalized the new Ivorian roadmap for eradicating animal trypanosomiasis. The objective: to modernize the response to this economic and health scourge.

A strategic workshop for the future of Ivorian livestock farming

The Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH), supported by research institutions, universities and technical and financial partners, met in Grand-Bassam to validate the national strategy for combating animal trypanosomiasis .

Initiated by the Directorate of Veterinary Services and Animal Welfare, this new approach is rigorously aligned with the Pathway for the Progressive Control of African Animal Trypanosomiasis (PCP-TAA) , an international framework promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

For Fadiga Haïda, technical advisor representing Minister Sidi Touré, the adoption of this document marks a decisive turning point:

"Given the health, economic, and social impacts of this disease, a more appropriate, coordinated, sustainable, and results-oriented national response is essential."

Modernizing a 15-year-old response

The previous national strategy had not been revised for over a decade and a half. An update had become crucial to adapt to current realities on the ground and integrate new actors.

The Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Kallo Vassely, stressed the importance of collective and cross-cutting action:

1. Vector control: targeting and eliminating spreading insects.
2. Management: effectively treat infected livestock.
3. Synergy of actors: closely involving researchers, veterinary services, support structures and breeders.

From historical success in humans to persistent challenges in animals

Ivory Coast already has solid experience in this area. Soro Dramane, director of the Pierre Richet Institute, recalled a historic victory: in 2020, the country officially eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT / sleeping sickness) as a public health problem .

However, the scientist warns that efforts on the veterinary front must not be relaxed. While human health is preserved, the animal version of the disease (TAA) remains a major obstacle for the Ivorian pastoral sector.

The devastating effects of the disease in a few figures:

Animal trypanosomiasis, transmitted by the tsetse fly (glossina), severely affects cattle, sheep, and goats, leading to:

1. A drastic drop in milk and meat production.
2. A decrease in the agricultural traction power of animals.
3. Direct and colossal financial losses for livestock farming households.

The ambitions of the new roadmap

By validating this reference document, the Ivorian government commits to deploying modern protocols that comply with international standards. The priorities are now clear: strengthening early prevention, optimizing epidemiological surveillance, intensifying the control of tsetse fly populations, and guaranteeing rapid access to treatment.