ILRI in South Asia
Livestock trends in the region
• South Asia is home to the largest concentration of
human and livestock population on the globe (largest
dairy and meat exporter).
• More than 80% of livestock are produced by
smallholder farmers.
• The region houses 43% of the world’s poor.
• South Asia is recognised as a zoonotic hotspot.
ILRI’s strategic intentions in the
region
• The region offers excellent opportunity for ILRI to
contribute in livestock revolution and be an
important stakeholder.
• Livestock system in the region is still dominated by
age-old practices without much change, which
means more scope for research and development
(R&D).
• National agricultural research systems (NARS) and
NGOs have enough capacity to complement or
supplement ILRI’s research work in the region.
• Different donor agencies are interested to fund R&D
projects.
ILRI projects in the region
• GET Dairy project in Assam, India. Assessing health
risks in informal value chains, pilot-testing risk
management interventions, and generating
evidence for replication.
• Peri-Milk project in Assam, Karnataka and Punjab
in India. Promotion of health, livelihood and
sustainable dairy system in peri-urban settings.
• Dairy value chain project in Bihar in India.
Improving the efficiency of dairy production and
facilitating access to marketing strategies and
practices.
• CSISA project in Indo-Gangatic plain in Nepal, India
and Bangladesh. Research on livestock
productivity enhancement through better feed
technologies and crop residue management in
cereal-based systems.
• ELKS project in Nagaland, Jharkhand and
Uttarakhand in India. Strengthening livestock value
chains in tribal hills through research support.
• Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) in Pakistan.
Research on artificial insemination and peste des
petits ruminants (PPR) in goats.
• Improving basal ruminant diets in India. Research
on improving feed and fodder value of basal diets.
• GEF–FAnGR project in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
and Bangladesh. Research on farm animal genetic
resources.
Pictures
Capacity development with partners
ILRI works with regional partners in South Asia to arrange for short-
to medium-term study opportunities for researchers at ILRI, ICAR and
state agricultural universities (SAUs), as well as the hold joint
workshops. ILRI also ensures that capacity development addresses
the needs of farmers, especially women farmers, specific value chain
actors, and educators of partner institutions in South Asia.
Partnerships and collaborations
Partnerships are crucial to the success of livestock research-for-development
projects, and ILRI collaborates with a wide range of entities, including the Indian
Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute
(BLRI) and Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and national agricultural
research systems (NARS), state veterinary and animal husbandry departments,
universities and research institutes, nongovernmental organizations and other
development agencies and foundations working in the region.
CGIAR Research Programs
working in South Asia
Livestock and Fish (L&F). Research on
dairy value chains and feed and fodder
research for animal science and
productivity in India and Pakistan.
Agriculture for Nutrition and Health
(A4NH). Research on food safety and
zoonotic diseases in India and
Bangladesh.
Climate Change, Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS). Research on climate
change adaptation and environmental
sustainability in India.
Integrated Agricultural Production
Systems for the Poor and Vulnerable in
Dry Areas (Drylands). Research on dairy,
small ruminants, and feed, fodder and
rangeland in Pakistan.
Alok Jha, South Asia Regional Representative
a.jha@cgiar.org ● ILRI Regional Office for South Asia, C-Block, 1st floor, NASC,
Dev Prakash Shastri Marg, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012 India ● +91 11 25609800
ilri.org ● asia.ilri.org
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Unported License December 2015
December 2015
Livestock priority areas
Priority area 1: Sustainable intensification of crop-
livestock system
• Crop-livestock system integration and
productivity
• Conservation and utilization of animal genetic
diversity in the region
• Value chain and market development for
smallholder participation and productivity
Priority area 2: Mitigating risks in rapidly changing
agricultural systems
• Emerging infectious zoonotic diseases
• Food safety
• System integrity and environmental services