Based on these experiences, the ALive Executive Committee decided that this approach should be mainstreamed, both to support evidence based sector planning and to strengthen stakeholder involvement in these processes. This approach, adapted from the one used in PRSP preparation, has been dubbed “Livestock PRSP.”
Livestock ‘PRSPs’ will provide an evidence base that underlines the importance and potential of the livestock sector in fighting poverty and improving national economic growth thus providing national ministries responsible for public investments and donors with convincing reasons for sector investment and PRSP integration.
The development of a methodology to guide livestock sector-poverty interaction studies and the preparation of subsequent action plans that ensure appropriate inclusion of the livestock sector in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers was deemed, by the Executive Committee (July 2004), to be a priority for the ALive partnership. The objective is to sustainably strengthen national capacities to carry out social, economic and prospective diagnoses of the sector on which to formulate suitable strategic action plans.
The Methodological Guide will have to provide national operational action plan and the advices formulated in this action plan will lean upon common visions of livestock sector development adopted by ALive (Policy Notes).
The output will be a set of modules, sub-modules and activities to guide step by step the development of a Livestock PRSP and to ensure its integration upstream (into the overall PRSP) and downstream (into national sector policies). More precisely, each modules will consist of submodules and then activities, equipped if necessary with tools (survey questionnaire, terms of reference, examples, excel file, etc.).
The Methodological Guide will eventually be available on this website to help national staff perform sector diagnoses and to make recommendations during the formulation of a PRSP.
An Advocacy Note targeted to national decision-makers will accompany this educational tool, to convince them of the value of drafting a Livestock PRSP.
Process for Developing the Guide
In accordance with ALive procedures, the Methodological Guide will be prepared using a consultative process, composed of 6 steps:
1. Draft the Methodological Guide in outline form, identify and describe the different sub-modules, modules and activities. This step will be prepared and jointly funded by the PPLPI, along with participation from the FAO Investment Centre (Cooperation Program FAO-World Bank).
2. Develop the various modules identified by the technical providers.
3. Organize the modules and finish a first draft (“draft 1”) of the Methodological Guide.
4. Internal review of draft 1; produce "draft 2".
5. Discuss draft 2 in 1 regional workshop; produce "draft 3"
6. Discuss draft 3 in an electronic forum; produce "draft 4" = final product.
In order to have a sound product, a review committee is being formed to follow the development of the Guide. This committee is made up of renowned livestock and PRSP experts with a thorough knowledge of Africa-specific issues; they will be responsible for the review of documents and products developed by partners and providers throughout the process of developing the Methodological Guide (end of key steps, namely 1, 2, 3 and 6).
The participation of the experts on the Review Committee is paid for by their respective organizations, as an in-kind contribution to ALive. They belong to these organizations: CIRAD, World Bank, AU-IBAR, IGAD, ILRI, FAO, WISP, OECD (to be confirmed). The overall exercise is coordinated by the ALive Secretariat, with assistance from an associated professional officer from the FAO Investment Centre, paid by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. contact: secretariat-guide@alive-online.org
A first draft of the outlines of the Guide, that describes the modules to be developed, has been proposed by PPLPI and was reviwed by the review committee experts.
The final version of the Guide outlines and the description of the modules are used as terms of reference to contract the different providers of the 6 modules. Download the final outlines.
Actions in progress
Step 2 is in the pipeline.
With regard to Module 0 (Learning-based Monitoring and Evaluation), Module 1 (Initial Assessment), and Module 2 (Coalition for Change), it was decided that, given PPLPI’s expertise, collaborative efforts to prepare the general terms of reference had to be pursued. This Initiative has consequently been asked to develop these 3 modules.
In view of the fact that CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) worked on the implementation of the IEPC, the ALive Executive Committee decided to seek the collaboration of CIRAD to prepare Module 3 (Livestock in Households Economy) and Module 4 (Livestock in National Economy), with initial support from the FAO Investment Centre (West and Central Africa Service - TCIW).
Both organizations (CIRAD and PPLPI) are co-financing the elaboration of their modules.
Lastly, the ALive Secretariat is developing Module 5 (Preparation of the Strategy and Action Plan) to capitalize over products done by the Partnership (e.g. policy notes).
Mr Cees de Haan (former WB Lead Livestock Specialist) also accepted to lead the overall elaboration process.
The review committee is participating to this step by reviewing the modules developped at the mid and final term.
Schedule
Step 3 Draft 1 of the Guide: August 2007
Step 4 Internal review: begining of September 2007
