CGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programme: Report 2003: Searching for Synergies in Livestock Research

The Systemwide Livestock Programme (SLP) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) works to alleviate poverty, protect natural resources and achieve food security in developing countries. The SLP builds on and strengthens links between CGIAR centres in order to foster a holistic approach to research and development on livestock production and related issues, with special emphasis on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. As demand for crop and livestock products increases, researchers need a deeper understanding not only of how integrated crop–livestock systems work but also of how they evolve over time in response to this demand. This understanding provides the basis for identifying appropriate interventions to meet the SLP’s goals. To acquire it, the SLP conducts or supports research at several locations in Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as through an Internet portal. In South Asia, researchers have developed a new typology of mixed crop–livestock systems in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The typology reveals the different intervention pathways needed to achieve impact. For example, stall-feeding options using dual-purpose legumes are the best way of achieving impact in areas where land is scarce, whereas common property resources for grazing will continue to be used where this constraint does not exist. In Southeast Asia, village and household surveys were conducted on mixed rice-based farming systems in five countries at different stages of economic and agricultural development. Initial analysis reveals the importance of strong government policies in helping to promote the livestock sector, particularly in terms of mechanisation and market access. Once the analysis is completed, researchers will use the information to identify which trends and interventions best contribute to crop–livestock intensification and sustainable land management. In West Africa’s dry savannas, a multi-partner on-farm project has achieved considerable success in introducing improved dual-purpose cowpea and sorghum varieties. Participating farmers in Nigeria now have enough food and fodder to cover their needs and have been able to increase their incomes by selling their surpluses. Farmers are now identifying new priorities to work on, including improved feeding strategies and manure collection. Lessons learned are being used to guide research at the project’s new sites in Burkina Faso and Ghana. Researchers from various CGIAR centres and laboratories around the world have collaborated on the Internet through the virtual SLP (vSLP) to develop new livestock modelling and systems analysis tools. These are being freely exchanged and used by partners in Asia and Latin America to advance their research programmes.