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NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner

LeapAgri: Empowering small-scale farmers: towards the SDGs through participative, innovative and sust. livestock and poultry value chains

Awarded: NOK 2.4 mill.

SPEAR investigated livestock production interventions aimed at increasing knowledge and research collaboration on sustainable food security, food technology and food safety, the food value chain and rural development and agricultural economics. SPEAR used a systems perspective to initiate a participatory approach to value chain analysis, technology development and ex ante impact assessment of specific interventions. SPEAR has contributed to improving the productivity and quality of local livestock and poultry value chains (LPVC) in Senegal, Ghana and Kenya through research (e.g. identifying constraints and opportunities for sustainable production and consumption) and innovation (e.g. insect meals as an expensive feed and new livestock and poultry based products with long shelf life) to link research outcomes to  policy making.

Recommendations have been provided through the formulation and application of different feeds for increasing livestock and poultry productivity and the volume of production. For the improvement of livestock and poultry product quality it has been difficult to collect data and have a baseline to assess the improvement. A publication on quality is *under drafting in collaboration with the African partners. Access to tools and information has been granted through sharing and disseminating the project results via website and network. To improve assessment of causal value chain mechanisms (policies) reports have been drafted and disseminated. Policy symposia have been held in Ghana both in presence and online. The following outcomes have also been secured through our activities: i) improve capacity of development practitioners and researchers ; ii) improve uptake of innovation- new products have been developed to meet food safety; iii) improved coordination along the value chain in focus was achieved through the participatory activities. For the impacts, because of the unprecedented situations due to COVID and the consequent recession it is difficult to assess whether the impact was achieved. From the application the following impacts were expected: 1-Improve the livelihood of small-scale farmers 2-Enhance farmers’ income 3-Empower poor small-scale farmers, women, and youth 4-Improve food safety and quality at national and international levels 5-Increase employment in the livestock and poultry value chains 6-Increase volume and value of trade 7-Food and nutrition security SPEAR has been surely achieving impact n. 3, 4 and 7.

The overall goal of SPEAR is to provide science-based frameworks and indicators capable of monitoring and evaluating improvements in productivity and quality of livestock and poultry value chains (LPVCs). The project will evaluate a number of LPVCs in the partner countries to identify the constraints and opportunities for sustainable production and consumption and assess the impacts of different interventions targeting food and nutrition security and improvement in agricultural trade. The novelty of our research lies in the combination of two approaches – (1) value chain analysis, which involves analyzing how value is created and added at different steps in the chain and its implications or consequences on stakeholders; and (2) participatory modeling, which facilitates collaboration among key stakeholders and research team and improved understanding of the dynamics and interrelationships between the socio-economic and ecological consequences of development interventions. By focusing at the value chain level, SPEAR will take into account the systems context of food and nutrition security, and the means by which feedback effects of proposed interventions could influence their impact and uptake. By focusing on participatory approaches, SPEAR will contribute to the capacity development of small-scale farmers in meeting the market demand in terms of quantity and quality through integrating research, knowledge exchange, market strategies, and outreach/communication tools. SPEAR’s frameworks and indicators will have greater validity and address the needs of stakeholders as directly identified by them. The integration of systems modeling and participatory processes into value chain research will represent a major innovation and advance in operationalizing the value chain from a diagnostic tool to a policy tool. By using systems modeling, SPEAR can evaluate and prioritize between different policy choices and help policymakers make better decisions.

Publications from Cristin

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Funding scheme:

NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner