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In West Africa, the Maradi red goat is improving the lives of family farmers, boosting local economies and making better nutrition more accessible. These native livestock species are well-suited to West Africa due to a wide genetic diversity that makes them more adaptable to a changing climate. With the help of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), these species are becoming easier and more profitable to raise.

The Maradi red goat is found in central Niger. It plays an important role in the economy of rural households for its milk and skins. Its typical litter consists of two to three kids, which reach breeding age between six and seven months, and have two litters a year. Each female can produce 0.6 liters of milk per day for 3 to 4 months after each litter. Its milk is rich in vitamin A and is known for saving motherless children in rural Niger. Its meat is a good source of protein and its skins are used to make luxury leather goods of international renown.

Maradi in Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali

The Centre Secondaire d'Elevage Caprins du Niger was created in 1963 to conserve, improve and disseminate the red goat, and to train farmers in adaptive breeding techniques. Thanks to this breeding program, the red goat is now present in several parts of Niger. The Programme de Productivité Agricole en Afrique de l'Ouest (PPAAO), run at CORAF level, has ensured wide distribution of red goats in Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali to improve local economies and provide supplementary nutrition.