Madagascar Livestock Expansion and Stability Program Quarterly Report

The program is implemented by Land O'Lakes International Development with funding from the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The program targets 20,000 people in Ankazomanga, Maroarivo, and Beahitse communes of southern Madagascar, supporting households to build and maintain their livestock assets to increase household and community resilience to withstand shocks and stressors. The LIVES team is comprised of a Country Director, LIVES Program Manager, Accountant, M&E Specialist, a Livestock Specialist, three Field Agents, and a driver, with technical support from Land O'Lakes Global and Regional teams. During the period under review, the program moved rapidly through administrative start-up and onto implementation, achieving several milestones. These include preparing a work plan, completing sensitization activities, conducting baseline, gender, and water point assessments, developing a performance monitoring and evaluation plan, and submitting and approving an animal procurement plan. The program also prepared to launch several field activities, including training 3 extension agents, creating and structuring 49 farmers' groups, identifying and training 49 Livestock Leaders Farmers (LLFs), identifying 24 Community Livestock Workers (CLWs), and purchasing 5,600 animal ID tag kits for goats and chickens. For the next quarter, the program will continue to strengthen the capacity of livestock farmers through trained LLFs, start up the animal fund service within willing farmers' groups, and identify the best approach and strategy to lead the water points' rehabilitation. The program will also identify suitable animal suppliers and distribute codified and healthy animals to prioritized beneficiaries. The program aims to achieve three intermediate results (IRs): IR 1.1 Animal husbandry practices improved, IR 1.2 Livestock asset base expanded, and IR 1.3 Access to animal health services increased. To achieve IR 1.1, the program will train directly 1,960 livestock farmers, help them set up animal fund services, and rehabilitate 6 multi-use water points. The program has made significant progress in forming and training producer groups, with 49 groups formed and structured, and 49 LLFs identified and trained. The program has also made progress in improving the surrounding infrastructure, with a water point assessment conducted to identify the six most suitable multipurpose water points to be rehabilitated. The program will continue to face challenges, including maximizing the number of female LLFs and female group members, and identifying suitable animal suppliers. However, with the support of the LIVES team and technical support from Land O'Lakes Global and Regional teams, the program is well-positioned to achieve its objectives and make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable communities in southern Madagascar.