Protecting livestock, protecting livelihoods: the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS)

Abstract

The Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) Project is the result of concerns that interventions in emergencies often fail to support the livelihoods and resilience of pastoralists and other livestock keepers. The LEGS Handbook, which has been produced through wide consultation with practitioners and policy makers around the world, sets out standards and guidelines for livestock-based interventions in both rapid and slow-onset emergencies. It provides tools and guidance for participatory design and implementation of timely and appropriate livestock responses, covering key topics such as assessment, response identification, and technical areas including destocking, veterinary services, water, feed, shelter and restocking. Since the publication of the LEGS Handbook in 2009, the LEGS Project has developed training materials and rolled out a series of Training of Trainers courses in six developing regions. The Handbook has also been translated into French, Arabic and Spanish. As a result of the training programme, there are now over 120 LEGS Trainers in Africa and Asia, who are rolling out LEGS Training courses in their own countries. The LEGS Handbook and training programme have been well received and plans have been drawn up to expand the programme to additional regions, including North and Central Africa, the Middle East and China/Mongolia, and to translate the Handbook into three additional languages. The LEGS Project aims to continue to provide practical guidance for both field workers and decision makers to design and implement livelihood-based responses in support of pastoralists and other livestock keepers facing drought and other disasters.