The livestock sector typically contributes between 30 and 40% of agricultural gross domestic product in developing countries, and in Africa it provides livelihoods for some 200 million small-scale livestock producers. It is a source of food and nutritional security for producers and consumers and, for some people, livestock are a mobile bank providing security in times of drought or disaster. This session draws on several ground experiences that illustrate different ways that ICTs are contributing to livestock sector development: mobile ICTs being used to deliver validated livestock production and health knowledge and advice to farmers; ICTs and knowledge management putting knowledge in the hands of rural actors and producers working towards more market-oriented livestock production systems; ICTs delivering market information to livestock producers; ICTs providing an early warning system to pastoral communities; ICTs guiding livestock insurance schemes for vulnerable pastoralists. Brief presentations will be combined with interaction to stimulate co-learning, inspiration and identification of "best bet" interventions that could be taken up elsewhere.
I am organizing 2 sessions and represent ILRI on the steering committee. I expect to catch up with latest thinking and experience and meet people I can learn from.