Activity 1: Collection and provision of basic data

The central hub for the assembling and provision of generic information on the interactions between livestock and drylands with regard to Africa, South Asia and Central Asia will be the Virtual Centre and its language platforms in English (FAO-Rome), French (CIRAD-Montpellier) and Russian (FAO-Rome). Types of data include:

• the extent of grazing land by agro-ecological zone and other bio-physical characteristics, by management form and other technical characteristics and by property regime and other socio-economic characteristics
• environmental parameters
• institutional data base.

Detailed information will be provided on issues where LEAD has initiated its own studies and research and development activities, notably:

• wildlife-livestock interactions, mainly in East Africa, but also in parts of West Africa where the information will cover a host of bio-physical, technical and socio-economic parameters describing the complementarity and competition between wildlife and livestock, in addition to relevant institutions and programmes active in this area.
• the “Pôle Pastoral” programme, which is active in francophone West Africa within important dryland systems, will provide information sets covering the resource base, management types and critical focus areas, in addition to relevant institutions and programmes active in this area, and decision making processes, in particular under drought conditions.
• in India, where a study is being launched into the role of livestock in watershed management and its impact on rural livelihoods, information will be provided on impact on the environment, resource access, household food security, impact on income and employment, and market access, in addition to detailed information on existing programmes and policies.
• in Central Asia, the Virtual Centre and its Russian language platform will provide an inventory of the existing knowledge about livestock-environment interactions and relevant institutions and programmes active in this area.