Regional consultation on multi-stakeholder collaboration to strengthen sustainability and resilience of livestock systems in South and Southeast Asia

Organisers: ICIMOD, GASL

About the workshop

The Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) is hosting its 13th Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (MSP) meeting. As a process leading to this meeting, ICIMOD is organising a regional meeting for South and South-East Asia in collaboration with GASL.

One of the objectives of the meeting is to link identified drivers to the four major livestock sustainability domains adopted by GASL – livelihoods and economic growth; food and nutrition security; animal health and animal welfare; climate and natural resource use). ICIMOD’s work on the intervention on managing high-altitude rangelands and wetlands for multiple benefits includes pastoral livestock production. ICIMOD is also a signatory in supporting the celebration of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism 2026.

The workshop will adopt a hybrid format, comprising engaging sessions that include keynote speeches, presentations, discussions, and dialogues.

Objectives

• Understanding drivers of change: Explore the principal drivers of change in South and Southeast Asian livestock production systems and assess their impact within the context of the GASL sustainability domains
• Mapping multi-stakeholder partnerships opportunities: Identify areas where MSPs are needed to develop practice and policy solutions that address the challenges posed by these drivers
• Regional collaboration: Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and industry representatives, to strengthen regional efforts toward resilient and sustainable livestock systems including, for those interested, a road map to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism 2026

Expected outputs

• Enhanced understanding of the interplay between drivers of change and their implications for livestock systems within the GASL sustainability domains
• Identification of priority areas for MSPs to develop and implement practice and policy solutions for sustainable livestock production
• Strengthened regional collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders, contributing to the shared goal of resilient and prosperous livestock systems including, for those interested, a roadmap towards the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism 2026
• A meeting report that will describe in detail the main take away messages

 Participants

The workshop will bring together a diverse group participants, including policymakers, researchers, practitioners, industry representatives, and other stakeholders.

Background 

Livestock production systems in South and Southeast Asia are undergoing significant transformation driven by a confluence of diverse and impactful drivers. Geopolitical and socio-economic factors are resulting in rising inflation diminishing the consumption of livestock-derived foods and impeding long-term investments. Demographic shifts, such as population growth and changing lifestyle preferences, further contribute to the evolving landscape of food systems, including livestock production. Health drivers, exemplified by recent global health events are exerting profound effects. Environmental drivers, most notably climate change, are reshaping livestock production systems through changing grazing patterns, intensification challenges, and the imperative to reduce methane emissions. Technological innovation and advancement including disease diagnosis, breeding, reproduction, vaccinations, and even the integration of livestock apps, all drive systemic changes in livestock management. These changes will particularly impact vulnerable communities, heightening concerns about food security.

Each of the drivers have the potential to cause changes in current patterns of livestock systems either individually or together, while the cumulative impact of these drivers has the potential to fundamentally alter the current patterns of livestock production systems, necessitating adaptive strategies to ensure sustainability and resilience in the face of these multifaceted challenges.

Agenda