Progress in the Development of the National Action Plan for Bovine Livestock in Honduras

• Through a participatory workshop, the National Sustainable Livestock Platform continues to advance in defining strategic interventions and key activities to strengthen the country's livestock sector within the framework of Honduras' National Livestock Plan.

January 25, 2024. In the context of the National Platform for Sustainable Livestock (NPSL), a key participatory workshop was conducted for the collaborative development of Honduras' National Action Plan for Bovine Livestock. This plan is a crucial component supporting the implementation of Honduras' State Agri-Food Sector Policy (PESAH) for the period 2023-2043.

The event, organized by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and supported by the MAF Livestock Honduras project, saw active participation from representatives of the public sector, private sector, academia, civil society, and international organizations. Together, they focused on defining comprehensive strategies to transform livestock farming in Honduras over the next four years, following the guidelines set in the Ordinary Session No. 3 on December 13, 2023.

The workshop facilitated a fruitful exchange on necessary actions in five key areas:

• Knowledge management for innovation and sustainability in the livestock sector
• Environment and climate change
• Value chains, competitiveness, and markets
• Policies and incentive mechanisms
• Sustainable production systems

Honduras's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Laura Suazo, emphasized the importance of this action plan within the framework of PESAH 2023-2043 during the opening. Ángel Acosta, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, also underscored the relevance of these initiatives.

Ileana Ávalos, governance specialist at CATIE's Livestock and Environmental Management Unit, led group work sessions to review achievements, share experiences, and define strategic interventions. These activities highlighted the importance of strengthening collaborative governance and jointly developing solutions to complex challenges in bovine livestock.

Furthermore, coordinators for the NPSL subcommittees were confirmed.

Since December 2023, CATIE has taken on the role of Technical Secretariat of the National Platform for Sustainable Livestock, established by Agreement SAG-043-2021. This platform serves as a governance and coordination mechanism at the national level, integrating efforts from both public and private institutions related to bovine livestock. Its primary objective is to promote decision-making and the formulation of state policies based on technical and scientific criteria, aiming to establish sustainable livestock practices and promote the pillars of sustainable development: social, economic, and environmental.

This workshop represents a step forward in strengthening the livestock sector in Honduras, thanks to the collaborative work of NPSL, under the support of CATIE and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras.