A global agro-climatic analysis of the distribution and production of livestock commodities

Summary

Investment in agricultural research in developing countries is being increasingly targeted at those areas and issues where the economic and environmental benefits may be expected to be greatest. However, this in turn requires more accurate estimates of these benefits, as they are often not confined to the immediate area where the research is carried out. This study assumes that benefits are likely to be greater within the agro-climatic zone in which the research was carried out, though estimates are also required of expected technical spillovers to other agro-climatic zones. Methods for defining and classifying information on agro-climatic zones livestock commodities were undertaken, inclduing for comparison between different zones. A method for targeting and prioritising research at teh country level, based on classification of six agro-climatic zones by length of growing period was identified and linked to existing livestock data. Further definition and subdivision by dominant livestock production system allows realistic estimated of livestock populations and the production of livestock commodities for most developing countries. Spreadsheets, including those based in part on ILRI data collected throughout Africa, allow a range of quantitative data and analysis.