Vision

"If the inhabitants of Mars visited us, they would come to the conclusion that we are mad. We spend $900 billion on defense and $350 billion on all sorts of agriculture subsidies annually. Development aid on the other hand amounts to $68 billion. We need around $30 per pupil per year to educate children who are not attending school. But the money is not available. Instead, we spend $150 per person per year on defense." James Wolfensohn President, World Bank Global Development Briefing - Take me to your leader October 2004

What is the aim of the Livestock Production Programme?

The aim of the Livestock Production Programme (LPP) is to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Goals through adoption of a livelihoods approach. Thus the programme address priority researchable issues of significance at regional, agro-ecological zone levels faced by 5 groups of resource-poor livestock keepers: smallscale milk producers; crop/livestock farmers; smallstock keepers; landless livestock keepers; and pastoralists and transhumants. It is likely that these issues will have been identified in national and sub-regional agricultural, livestock, poverty reduction and environmental plans; the resolution of the issues should have an impact on the livelihoods of the poor. The LPP actively encourages common ownership of project design and implementation with in-country researchers, farmers and target institutions (such as government extension agents, policy makers, the commercial sector and civil society) to ensure that the research remains focussed through a normal 3-4 year project cycle. Of particular importance is assuring the demand-led nature of the research and involving all stakeholders in the design, implementation, monitoring and uptake of the activities as well as in disseminating, promoting and up-scaling of project outputs such as policies or technical intervention.

What is the Livestock Production Programme?

The Livestock Production Programme (LPP) is one of ten DFID research programmes dealing with the contribution of natural resources to the livelihoods of the poor. It is a competitive grants programme whose objectives are to achieve an increase in the survival of their livestock as well as the quantity, quality and value of their products so enabling livestock to make a greater contribution to pastoral and crop production systems and to the livelihoods of rural, peri-urban and urban poor in developing countries. LPP commissions strategic, adaptive and applied research. The LPP supports the research process from technical development and on-farm validation of new knowledge (technology/decision support/policy) through to promotion by identified target institutions so leading to adaptation and adoption of knowledge at the local level and thereafter through upscaling, at the national/regional levels. The LPP is managed by Natural Resources International Ltd, Park House, Bradbourne Lane, Aylesford, Kent ME20 6SN, UK. Natural Resources International Ltd is a ‘not for profit’ company owned by a consortium of Universities; Edinburgh, Greenwich and Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.

What are DFID’s aims?

DFID’s aims are to collaborate with other donors and implementing agencies, as well as the commercial and civil society organizations, in achieving the Millennium Goals to improve the quality of life of people in poorer countries by contributing to sustainable development, thereby reducing poverty and suffering. DFID’s Rural Livelihoods Department commissioned a 10 year competitive Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (in 1995). Efforts to increase food and agricultural production are implemented in a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable manner. DFID’s Renewnable Natural Resources Research Strategy outlines the outputs which are to be obtained by the various centrally-funded research programmes commissioned to support DFID’s aims: improvement in the livelihoods of poor people through sustainable enhanced production and productivity of renewable natural resources systems (see DFID website).

Where does the LPP work?

Preferred target countries for LPP projects are currently (2003): Africa - Ethiopa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe; Asia - India, Nepal, Bangladesh; Latin America - Bolivia, Mexico. LPP projects will generally be carried out in these target countries although the outputs may be applicable and actively promoted in other countries e.g. South Africa, Mozambique, Brazil.

LPP project outputs need to be generic in nature relevant in more than one country; this distinguishes the LPP from bilateral research projects. It is likely that the research topic will have relevance to one or more of the resource poor livestock keeper groups at regional, agro-ecological zone or production systems levels. The LPP does not fund research associated primarily with academic postgraduate degrees, nor does it support study tours or attendance at conferences as stand-alone activities except where these are related to project activities. However, it does support training activities insofar as ensuring target institutions become fully acquainted with the technologies or policies generated by the research.

Who may apply for LPP funds?

Institutions with a documented record of completed and published research related to tropical livestock production may submit proposals to the LPP. Institutions in developing countries must be formally associated with a UK-based institution. Preference will be given to developing country institutions particularly for adaptive research as well as investigation on dissemination approaches, adoption strategies and upscaling. DFID promotes an ‘untied’ aid policy so ensuring that competition for research funds through LPP is open internationally.