The Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) will hold a conference with the theme “Policies for Competitive Smallholder Livestock Production”. The conference will be held March 4-6, 2015 in Gaborone, Botswana. Abstracts must be submitted by December 15, 2014.
The conference aims to provide an opportunity for African and international scientists and the broader stakeholder groups in the livestock production sector to discuss competitiveness in livestock production systems and improving the livelihoods of livestock farmers, especially smallholder farmers with emphasis on Southern Africa. The broader objectives of the conference are to gather researchers, policy makers and development partners work in the area of assessing competitiveness in agricultural food production and marketing, and to provide answers to various questions rotating around four thematic areas. It is hoped that at the end of the conference, there will be specific recommendations for the key questions and how to enhance competitiveness of smallholder farmers so that they participate more in markets and hence improve their livelihoods.
The Conference Program Committee is calling for papers/posters that address the various development issues related to competitiveness of smallholder livestock farming in Southern Africa region under the following sub-themes:
- Measures of competitiveness in smallholder livestock production and policy advocacy
- Market access and utilisation
- Role of collective action in enhancing competitiveness of smallholder livestock farmers
- Governments’ role in the provision of livestock support services
- Economics of animal health and trade in the competitiveness of smallholder livestock production systems
Important Dates
- Submissions of Abstracts: Dec 15, 2014
- Notification of Acceptance: Dec 18, 2014
- Submission of Full Paper/Poster: January 30, 2015
- Final Decisions on Full Papers/Posters: February 4, 2015
For more information contact conference organisers:
Patrick Malope (BIDPA) at pmalope@bidpa.bw
Sirak Bahta (ILRI) (s.bahta@cgiar.org)
Hikuepi (Epi) Katjiuongua (ILRI) (H.Katjiuongua@cgiar.org )
Derek Baker (abaker33@une.edu.au)