Ghana_livestockstakeholders_meeting-Nov2016

Tamale, Ghana (Gariba Lodge)


Livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs,) and rural poultry play an important role in food production and security in Ghana. In Northern Ghana where Africa RISING project intervenes, livestock are kept under extensive or semi-intensive systems with limited input in terms of feeding, housing, breeding and health care management. The productivity is generally low due to genetic potential of the indigenous breeds, marked fluctuations in feed availability and quality, diseases and low external inputs. Besides, crop and livestock systems are not well integrated leading to inefficient nutrient flows and use in the systems. To take advantage of growing demand for livestock products, there is need to strengthen and incentivize rural livestock keepers to intensify the traditional low-input systems to increase meat and milk production to improve household nutrition and for sale. In addressing these challenges, Africa RISING project under Phase 1 has been conducting research activities on how to sustainably intensify livestock production and better integrate crop-livestock systems in Northern Ghana.
 * Background**

Since the inception of the project in 2012, a number of livestock related activities have been carried out in the 3 regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper West) in the North of Ghana such as assessment of feed resources, characterization of livestock value chains, characterization of pig husbandry and traditional poultry production, feed and health interventions for improved small ruminants production, constraints and opportunities of emerging feed market, conservation methods for crop residues particularly silage making and capacity building of partners.

Livestock related activities have been largely conducted by ILRI, IITA, CSIR-ARI, UDS and MoFA in the intervention communities in Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, and the focus has been on research. Under Africa RISING project Phase 2, there is need for scaling out of proven technologies that emerged from Phase 1 and from other relevant livestock projects to ensure delivery of concrete development outcomes by the project. In this regard, consultation with key livestock actors in Ghana, particularly those that intervene in the North of the country is necessary.


 * Objectives**
 * To review achievements and lessons from livestock related activities under Africa RISING Phase 1 – both processes and products.
 * To identify research for development livestock priority issues to focus on in Phase 2 in consonant with the project proposal and recommendations of the USAID Evaluation team.
 * To conduct stakeholders analysis as to establish key actors needed for implementation of livestock activities under Phase 2 and elaborate on the opportunities for collaboration in case the actors are not involved in Phase 1.


 * Expected Outputs**
 * 1) Priority issues for livestock research for development for Phase 2 are identified and the proven technologies for scaling.
 * 2) Key actors to be involved in the implementation of livestock related activities in Phase 2 are identified and their potential contributions.
 * 3) Draft logframe (details of activities based on the Phase 2 proposal) with some indicators.

The consultative meeting will bring together key actors in livestock research and development in Ghana, particularly those that intervene in Africa RISING project communities. Key institutions that will be involved include CSIR-Animal Research Institute; Department of Animal Science, University of Development Studies; Animal Science Departments of University of Ghana, KNUST, University of Cape Coast, and University of Winneba, College of Agriculture; Animal Production Department and Veterinary Services of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions; Ghana Poultry Farmers Association; USAID-funded Poultry Project; Ghana Animal Science and Animal Production Societies; and Heifers International. About 30 participants are expected at the consultation meeting.
 * Approach**

ILRI and IITA will be the conveners of the meeting.

In line with the proposed objectives of this meeting, there will be 3 sections following the introductory session of the meeting.

The 3 sections will be:
 * //**Review of the livestock activities under the Africa RISING Phase 1.**// There will be presentations by the key actors in Phase 1 namely CSIR-ARI on feed health interventions for improved small ruminant production; UDS on conservation and use of crop residues, characterization of pig husbandry and traditional poultry production, and IITA on integrated crop-livestock production. The key elements of these presentations will be achievements, gaps, and lessons learnt. In addition to presentations from these key actors, there will be opportunity for presentation on USAID-funded Poultry project, and by Heifers International on opportunities and challenges for scaling livestock technologies in Ghana. This will then be followed by plenary discussion reflecting on the presentations.
 * //**Priority issues for livestock research for development for Africa RISING Phase 2.**// There will be group work based on the review of activities under Phase 1 to identify the priority issues for Phase 2 based on these criteria – consistency with the Africa RISING project objectives, scientific soundness, feasibility (in terms of design, time and budget), staffing capacity, scalability and potential impact, and partnership requirement. The priority issues could be based on thematic areas such as feed and feeding systems, animal health, breeding and genetics, value addition etc. Or they could be based on livestock value chains such as cattle, small ruminants, pig and poultry. The number of groups for the group work will depend on the number of participants but a group will not be more than 8 participants to ensure active participation of every participant.
 * //**Stakeholders’ analysis and opportunities for collaboration.**// Based on the priority areas to be identified under Section 2, there will be discussion on potential contribution of different based on their proven capacity. This exercise does not mean that all actors to be identified will be engaged in the project as budget will be the main determinant as to partners to be involved in the implementation of livestock activities under Phase 2. The other issue to address in this Section is potential for collaboration with the Departments of Animal Science of the Universities for their students to conduct their thesis (MSc and PhD) research under the project. Based on the priority issues to be identified in Section 2, the potential topics for MSc and PhD thesis could be proposed.

09:00 Welcome and Introduction of participants - Augustine Ayantunde 09:30 - Sadat Salifu //10:00 Coffee/tea// 10:30 - Solomon Konlan 11:00 - Addah Weseh 11:30 - Herbert Dei 12:00 - Abdul Nurudeen //12:30 Lunch// //**Priority issues for livestock under Phase 2**// 13:30 - Naaminong Karbo 14:00 - Roland Kanlisi 14:30 //16:30 Coffee/Tea// 17:00 Close
 * Agenda**
 * __Day 1__** (15 Nov. 2016)
 * Introductory presentation
 * //Review of livestock activities under Phase 1//**

__**Day 2**__ (16 Nov. 2016) 09:00 Recap of Day 1 - Augustine Ayantunde 09:15 Reporting by the groups on priority issues for livestock for Phase 2 and plenary discussion //10:30 Coffee/tea// 11:00 Stakeholders’ analysis & potential for collaboration based on identified priority issues 12:00 Wrap up and closing - Augustine Ayantunde //12:15 Lunch//