Established in 1978 as the Small Ruminant CRSP, the Global Livestock CRSP is one of nine CRSP programs developed under Title XII of the International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1975. The CRSP model, pioneered by the SR-CRSP, was built on the structural strengths of US land-grant universities and collaborative partnerships with international organizations. Four characteristics ensure the effectiveness of this model: 1) Collaboration with US land-grant universities; 2) International training; 3) Long-term scientific relationships; 4) Program cost-effectiveness.
In 1995, the CRSP began a major restructuring of the program in response to USAID's own reengineering efforts and the changing needs of the international development community. The process, a comprehensive planning and assessment procedure, was initiated with priority setting workshops in the three regions. As forums for client input, the workshops were intended to maximize the opportunity of regional professionals to present their views on the development issues confronting them. The problem models they developed established the scope for activities within the region. Assessment teams, selected in an initial competition, developed projects that addressed the top priorities within the regions. The problem model was the central component of the assessment process with each team charged with refining their problem model through in-field explorations. To ensure grass roots input, over 20 regional workshops involving 35 countries were conducted during the assessment period. The teams submitted final proposals for a competition to be included in a proposal to USAID. The process was designed to be problem driven and produced results oriented projects.
Funds for the GL-CRSP are granted for a five-year period by the United States Agency for International Development. A minimum cost-sharing contribution of 25 percent from participating US institutions is required. The projects also receive substantial contributions from host country collaborators and leveraged funds.
The goal of the GL-CRSP is to increase food security and improve the quality of life of people in developing countries while bringing an international focus to the research, teaching and extension efforts of U.S. institutions. This goal is to be met through collaboration between U.S. land-grant institutions and national and regional institutions abroad that are active in livestock research and development.
To achieve this goal, the following objectives have been identified:
- Improve the interaction between livestock production and natural resource use and conservation, and more effectively integrate livestock production systems with the rational use of natural resources, such as wildlife and water.
- Decrease poverty and increase the security of people whose livelihoods depend on livestock by providing mechanisms to manage risk.
- Enhance the nutritional status - and decrease morbidity and mortality - of targeted populations, particularly children and women, through the increased availability and utilization of animal source products, thereby increasing human capacity.
- Strengthen the ability of institutions in developing countries to identify problems in livestock production and develop appropriate solutions.
- Provide support to decision makers in developing policies that will promote: a) livestock production, marketing, and trade; b) human nutrition and child physical and cognitive development; and c) natural resource conservation and management.
- Develop and strengthen communication systems (including but not limited to extension) among livestock producers, policy makers, businesses, researchers, and consumers that promote greater market participation, increase human and institutional capacity, and improve policy.
- The Global Livestock CRSP is administered as a grant to the University of California, Davis, which, as the Management Entity, administers subgrants to participating US institutions and maintains fiscal responsibility.
- The GL-CRSP Program Director is responsible for program development, coordinating activities of the projects across and within regions, and oversees the daily operations of the GL-CRSP.
- The External Program Administrative Council provides input on the overall program goals, recommends strategies for programmatic development and advises and concurs on the program budget.
- The EPAC conducts professional, unbiased reviews of projects at the request of the Program Director or USAID Cognizant Technical Officer.
- The Technical Committee provides intellectual exchange and input on programmatic planning for the CRSP to the Program Director and the Program Administrative Council.
- The Pool for External Evaluation of Research provides objective evaluations of Global Livestock CRSP projects on an as-needed basis.