Presented by Steve Staal at the LD4D Community of Practice Meeting, Naivasha, Kenya, 20-22 February 2018

1. Distilling evidence on sustainable livestock: the
Global Livestock Advocacy for Development
project
Steve Staal
LD4D Community of Practice meeting
Naivasha, Kenya, 20-22 February 2018

2. Livestock get a bad press!

8. Insights from media and stakeholder stocktaking
Most frequently reported aspect of livestock coverage in
global media was its contribution to greenhouse gases
Media coverage often linked to big events/crises
Developed world stories dominate headlines
Much media messaging treats livestock as a product (meat
or milk); not as a tool for development
Four out of 12 key development stakeholders interviewed
say livestock is viewed largely or somewhat negatively
Three said livestock is not visible at all in development
dialogues

9. The evidence [and data] supporting
investment in sustainable livestock
is scattered and not always equally
robust

10. How rigorous is the evidence behind the messages
we communicate?

11. GLAD project

12. Project Starting Points
Underfunding of the livestock sector in developing
countries is partly due to a global lack of awareness
and understanding of livestock as well as negative
views of livestock by some people.
Lack of awareness is compounded by inaccessible
and inconsistent evidence and data

13. What we are trying to do
Increase attention to sustainable livestock issues
(a) on global agriculture and development agendas
(b) on financing agendas of donor countries

14. Goal
Increase the amount
of ODA for Livestock
which is currently only
0.1% of total ODA

15. Intended outcomes
Set of consistent, compelling, evidence-based messages or
statements that can be used by the wider community to
make the case for investing in sustainable livestock
Better understanding of stakeholders and media perceptions and
attention to livestock and ways to influence them
Capacitated group of partner organizations and individuals using
the evidence and working together to communicate, increase
understanding, influence priorities, choices and investments
Tools and approaches the wider community can all use
Leading to more and for sustainable livestock

16. Work packages
• Distil and present evidence and creative
content on sustainable livestock and its
development contributions and impacts
• Engage [and influence] different stakeholders in high-profile
events and through media
• Develop capacities to strengthen advocacy communications
• Facilitate a community of practice [and champions] for
people engaged in these efforts.

17. Activities so far
Distil evidence on the contributions and opportunities of
livestock for sustainable development
• Series of statements/messages, with associated
argumentation, evidence, facts, references and suggested
levels of confidence
Media audit analysing range, frequency and sentiment of coverage of
livestock / Stakeholder audit to give a picture of the livestock sector, key
players and messages / Message testing interviews to gather insights on
perceptions of livestock
Media bursts and coverage around different issues and events / Advocacy
tours and side events at high-level UN meetings; together with strategy to
engage UN actors about livestock

18. Evidence work
Collated and distilled evidence on sustainable livestock and:
• Growth and livelihoods
• Gender
• Animal and human health
• Nutrition
• Environment and climate change
For each: Series of statements/messages, with associated
argumentation, evidence, facts, references; basis for set of messages
or statements we can all use and reference. Almost final draft now
Validating and fact-checking with LD4D community and others
Basis for web product in May 2018; as well as wider influencing efforts

19. How we will use the evidence
Two targeted influencing and
advocacy strategies for partners and
the GLAD community

20. Make strong amplifying organizations
livestock-aware
Some organizations – world bank, BMGF for example – have strong
‘amplification’ capabilities; they can reach and influence many
with the messages they endorse and believe in. BUT .. They are
often not aware enough about livestock.
This strategy will target influential actors with strong amplification
capacities so they ‘learn about livestock’.
Once they are ‘livestock-aware’, they are more likely to directly or
indirectly help increase livestock investments.
This set of interventions is likely to centre on making the case for
livestock investments, using smart evidence, influencing and
advocacy. Need to work with insiders in these organizations, eg
LGA

21. Help livestock-aware organizations be
better amplifiers
Some organizations – ILRI, heifer, SEBI, GASL for example – are
extremely aware of sustainable livestock and its potentials. BUT ..
this awareness does not necessarily translate into influence on
investors because these organizations have weak ‘amplification’
capabilities; they are not good at expressing and conveying evidence
and messages to influentials.
This strategy will target ‘livestock-aware’ actors that understand the
sector so they ‘learn to advocate’, getting better at amplifying sector
benefits and priorities. They should then be better able to translate
their livestock insights to help increase livestock investments.
This set of interventions is likely to centre on capacity, alliance and
agenda building using communications and advocacy.

22. This work is financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
It is implemented by ILRI with Emerging Ag and Marchmont
Communications
It contributes to the CGIAR Research Program on
Livestock
Partners and Acknowledgements

23. This presentation is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
better lives through livestock
ilri.org
ILRI thanks all donors and organizations who globally supported its work through their contributions
to the CGIAR system