Innovation response capacity in relation to livestock-related emergencies in Africa

The study explored the nature of innovation response capacity and the building of policy-relevant innovation capacity in the context of livestock-related emergencies in East Africa. The work described has been carried out on behalf of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s Livestock Policy Initiative (IGAD-LPI), a regional sister initiative to the FAO’s Pro-poor Livestock Policy Initiative (PPLPI).  Through two case studies, the report describes innovation response capacity in relation to livestock-related emergencies in East Africa using the examples of a recent regional drought and the zoonotic disease Rift Valley fever, situating these in on-going conceptual and policy debates. The case studies are described and then analysed using an analytical framework that considers, actors and their roles, patterns of interaction, habits and practices, and presence or absence of an enabling environment. As part of this study, policy-relevant innovation capacity was explored during two workshops which brought together livestock sector policy makers from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, together with representatives of international organizations and NGOs, to focus on process monitoring, policy dialogue and the sharing of experiences. The report reveals a set of policy relevant lessons and indicative practices for policy makers and practitioners on building innovation response capacity in the IGAD region