LCC CRSP’s Targeted Investment for Research Impact’s Early-Career Researcher Program identifies researchers who are tackling livestock production problems with innovative approaches and from fresh perspectives. This small-grant program is open to early-career researchers (five or fewer years into their research careers) in Nepal from any discipline, from student to professor, and from any organization that is engaged in applied research on livestock production in South Asia—colleges and universities, government research centers or laboratories, non-profit organizations, and small businesses.

To accelerate the grant-making process, a short, five-page pre-proposal is required. Selected pre-proposals will guarantee a spot for the applicant in a three-day, TIRI research retreat in Kathmandu in June, 2012.

Read Call for pre-proposals>>

LCC CRSP’s Targeted Investment for Research Impact’s Female Researcher Program identifies female professionals who are tackling livestock production problems with innovative approaches and from fresh perspectives. This small-grant program is open to female professionals in Nepal from any discipline, from student to faculty, and from any organization that is engaged in applied research on livestock production in South Asia—colleges and universities, government research centers or laboratories, non-profit organizations, and small businesses.

To accelerate the grant-making process, a short, five-page pre-proposal is required. Selected pre-proposals will guarantee a spot for the applicant in a three-day, TIRI research retreat in Kathmandu in June, 2012.

Read Call for pre-proposals>>

The ME of the LCC CRSP is attending the Livestock at the Crossroads
New Directions for Policies, Research and Development Cooperation in Washington, DC from April 16-18.

One of the conference organizers, Joyce Turk, is the USAID program officer (AOR) for the LCC CRSP. The following is her description about the group:

The InterAgency Donor Livestock Group (IADG) brings together dedicated livestock development experts from the donor community with special invitations to the NGO community and private industry to attend annual meetings.  IADG members share a common interest in livestock production, marketing and trade as a way to increase employment and income, improve food security for households and communities, and promote sustainable use of natural resources in developing and transitional countries.

This informal discussion/working group serves to enhance communication and collaboration between public and private sector entities in the international livestock development community.  IADG meets annually to share experiences of member organizations in implementation of livestock development projects around the globe.  It is well positioned to increase cross-sectoral and specific information exchanges that improve public and private understanding about the contribution of livestock to economic growth as well as to the development of smallholder farmers.

Annual meetings focus on a specific themes in response to participants’ suggestions at each meeting. Past themes have included the significance of animal source foods for improving child nutrition and maternal health, the impacts of climate change on livestock production systems and environmental sustainability, the role of livestock in conflict resolution, and promoting the conditions for asset accumulation at the community level.

LCC CRSP researcher, Peter Little (Commodity Chains), was recently interviewed for an article that appeared on IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The article, NIGER: Drought does not mean death of pastoralism, discusses coping mechanisms for keeping animals mobile and healthy during a drought. Read the Article>>

Read Little’s LCC CRSP Research Brief: Sell or Move>>

Pastoralists and livestock populations in semi-arid grassland regions across the world are extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts on water, pasture, and disease dynamics.  Disease, especially, can have devastating effects on livestock survival and marketability, threatening animal health and livelihoods.  In order to address this growing problem, researchers working in the Ruaha region of Tanzania have been preforming capacity assessments of the livestock health services available to rural pastoralists.  By collecting this information, they hope to address important gaps in livestock health services and increase the adaptability of livestock systems to climate change-driven disease.  With the initial results of the study coming in now, steps can be made to increase the security of Tanzanian pastoralists and their livestock.    

Read Research Brief>>

In order to address the growing world population, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in programs designed to increase agricultural production in dryland areas.  However, these programs often fail and can leave the land even more degraded because of a failure to consider variation in the ecological, agricultural, and productive potential of different areas.   Researchers have been working in Laikipia, Kenya and other areas of East Africa trying to increase the return on investment in land management by developing a rapid approach to defining ecological sites.  By properly defining the potential of a given area, return on investments in land management can be increased and money can be focused on areas that can produce the greatest impact.

Read Research Brief >>

Recent years in Nepal have seen a deterioration of livestock production systems due to dwindling resources, an increase in disease prevalence and parasites, and the negative impacts of climate change.   With this in mind, researchers have begun a detailed study in the Thulokhola watershed (Nuwakot district) of Nepal that looks to increase the resiliency of livestock systems by keeping records on livestock production and animal food supply, analyzing fodder and feed samples, and testing fecal samples for parasites.  Their preliminary analysis indicates that enhancing livestock feed and nutrition, as well as veterinary care, is necessary in order to help adapt and strengthen Nepalese livestock production systems in the face of climate change.   Read Research Brief >>

The fertility of Africa’s rangelands is very important to a large number of people who rely upon livestock for their well-being and overall food security.  However, large portions of these great ranges are degraded due to a loss of grass cover and fertile topsoil, which has led to an urgent need to find practical, simple, and cost-effective approaches to restoring the health of these landscapes.  With this in mind, a group of scientists has been doing research in Northern Kenya looking at how communities can begin to put back grass cover and arrest erosion on degraded lands.  Their results thus far are highly encouraging and show that erosion and bare ground (so prevalent in rangelands in eastern Africa and around the globe) can be arrested and reversed using cheap, locally available materials and a small amount of labor. Read Research Brief >>

Massai Voices on Climate Change participants tell their story of climate change and everyday struggles through videos and interviews that are filmed by the local people. This is a Colorado State University initiative, directed by Anthropology Professor Kathleen Galvin and CCC director Robin Reid who proposed that Joana Roque De Pinho arrange a small video project with the people of the community. read more »

Inside this issue of the Research Communiqué are:

• LCC CRSP Activities: three research briefs and a RFP for South Asia
• Announcements of recent publications in the area of livestock and climate
• Ten funding opportunities

read more »