Innovative and inclusive Innovative and inclusive approaches to global approaches to global

livestock development livestock development

IFAD Workshop on ‘Communities of Practice forIFAD Workshop on ‘Communities of Practice for

pro-poor livestock and fisheries/aquaculture developmentpro-poor livestock and fisheries/aquaculture development’’

Dr Dr Wyn Richards, NRInternational LtdWyn Richards, NRInternational Ltd

Returns on investment in Returns on investment in agricultural researchagricultural research

Generally accepted that the investments made in Generally accepted that the investments made in publicly-funded agric research have not had the publicly-funded agric research have not had the expected benefits on the livelihoods of resource-poor expected benefits on the livelihoods of resource-poor farming communities in the developing world.farming communities in the developing world.

Fundamental reasons due to: lack of donor coordination; Fundamental reasons due to: lack of donor coordination; unrealistic expectations from research; variance and unrealistic expectations from research; variance and short-termism of political targets and ARD policies; short-termism of political targets and ARD policies; inflexible bureaucratic agendas; minimal resources to inflexible bureaucratic agendas; minimal resources to market research knowledge; redundant or inappropriate market research knowledge; redundant or inappropriate research into use processes; narrow sectoral research into use processes; narrow sectoral approaches. approaches.

1. Donor COPs1. Donor COPs

Eg. the Inter-Agency Donor Group formed Eg. the Inter-Agency Donor Group formed in 2000 – an informal COPin 2000 – an informal COP

Principal purpose of this informal group Principal purpose of this informal group was to foster greater collaboration, was to foster greater collaboration, coordination and communication between coordination and communication between the public and private sector donor the public and private sector donor agencies involved in commissioning agencies involved in commissioning livestock research directed at poverty livestock research directed at poverty alleviation and the attainment of the MDGs.alleviation and the attainment of the MDGs.

IADG Mission Statement• The Inter-Agency Donor Group (IADG) promotes innovative

and collaborative approaches to pro-poor livestock research in the developing world, in the fields of public health, animal health and animal production.

• The IADG encourages active collaboration to generate and promote new technologies, policies and information through demand-driven research and development with poor farmers in developing countries. It does this through research and development partnerships involving public and private sector organisations, and civil society.

• The Group aims to facilitate a common response by its members to research proposals emanating from implementing agencies and other stakeholders.

The story so far ….The story so far ….

9 IADG meetings since 2000 held in P+P donor 9 IADG meetings since 2000 held in P+P donor establishments in the UK(2), Denmark(2), establishments in the UK(2), Denmark(2), Italy(1), Switzerland(1), Germany(1), France(2); Italy(1), Switzerland(1), Germany(1), France(2); the 10the 10thth due to be held in Belgium in May 2009 due to be held in Belgium in May 2009

Average attendance of 20 donors (public:private Average attendance of 20 donors (public:private - 4:1) and ca 10-15 invited organisations/experts - 4:1) and ca 10-15 invited organisations/experts from IARCs and the private sectorfrom IARCs and the private sector

Activities, agreed actions, outputs and outcomes Activities, agreed actions, outputs and outcomes are pasted on the Inter-Agency website are pasted on the Inter-Agency website http://lri.virtual.org

Successes and Missed OpportunitiesSuccesses and Missed Opportunities

Successes:Successes:- increased sharing of knowledge and - increased sharing of knowledge and

experiences on livestock research for experiences on livestock research for developmentdevelopment

- increased information/awareness about on-increased information/awareness about on-going public and private donor activities going public and private donor activities

- promoted trust (and friendship) between donor promoted trust (and friendship) between donor representatives, representatives,

- increased levels of knowledge on current increased levels of knowledge on current livestock development issues and research livestock development issues and research developments developments

- shared potential collaborative opportunities.shared potential collaborative opportunities.

The IADG has:• Collated/published information on the research activities of the global donor organisations (public and private) in the livestock sector

• Identified the priority livestock ‘disease’ conditions of relevance to the poor;

• Mapped global livestock density and poverty;

• Predicted the influence of livestock on/by climate change;

• Developed a public/private initiative on global animal livestock vaccines (GalvMed) funded by DFID/Gates Foundation;

Further Successes Further Successes

Other SuccessesOther Successes

•Facilitated knowledge and information on priority livestock development issues and the activities of the donor community

•Fostered a greater level of collaboration at the programme and project level and in sharing knowledge, databases and lessons learned. •Facilitated a strong feeling of a community of practice between donors and with major R+D partners – CG,UN, AU-CAADP, IBAR etc.

Missed opportunitiesMissed opportunitiesWe have not been so successful in harnessing the We have not been so successful in harnessing the corporate potential of the donors in addressing and corporate potential of the donors in addressing and implementing initiatives on priority issues, neither in implementing initiatives on priority issues, neither in animal health nor in livestock husbandry issues and animal health nor in livestock husbandry issues and policy change. This remains an opportunity and a policy change. This remains an opportunity and a challenge which needs to be addressed.challenge which needs to be addressed.

The reasons for this are many and varied but include:The reasons for this are many and varied but include: - the short-termism of the majority of research initiatives - the short-termism of the majority of research initiatives

often dictated by political rather than development often dictated by political rather than development agendas; agendas;

-the dominant political will and narrow interests of -the dominant political will and narrow interests of donors based on geo-political, thematic, economic, donors based on geo-political, thematic, economic, philosophical, trade, historical etc; andphilosophical, trade, historical etc; and

- the bureaucratic/administrative difficulties associated - the bureaucratic/administrative difficulties associated with multi-donor fundingwith multi-donor funding

2. Lack of investment in 2. Lack of investment in marketingmarketing

Marked differences between public and private Marked differences between public and private sector approachessector approaches

Need a new COP in livestock Res for Dev to Need a new COP in livestock Res for Dev to market research findings: need adequate market research findings: need adequate funding and professional resources and funding and professional resources and approachapproach

Need to accept information as a valuable and Need to accept information as a valuable and marketable commodity which is required by and marketable commodity which is required by and customised for inclusive chains/networks of customised for inclusive chains/networks of institutions involved in agriculture – not solely institutions involved in agriculture – not solely the farmerthe farmer

33. Redundant/inappropriate processes . Redundant/inappropriate processes for getting research into usefor getting research into use

Traditional linear vs inclusive (many to Traditional linear vs inclusive (many to many)approaches to extensionmany)approaches to extension

Investment in generating RNRRS productsInvestment in generating RNRRS products

Investment and skills associated with riuInvestment and skills associated with riu

RIU HypothesisRIU Hypothesis

In-country activitiesIn-country activities

Lessons learned to dateLessons learned to date