CELEP at EC InfoPoint: linking research & policy

“Linking research to policies and practices: experiences in pastoralism in Eastern Africa” was the topic of the lunchtime conference organised by CELEP at the European Commission (EC) External Cooperation InfoPoint in Brussels, Belgium, on 29 November 2018.

Pastoralism is an important and valuable livelihood for millions of people in the Eastern African drylands. It contributes to food security, provides income and allows for an environmentally sustainable production of meat and milk. Pastoralism has gained renewed attention in the past years and its potential to add to the sustainable development goals is increasingly being recognised by the international community. During the lunchtime conference, recent policy evolutions in Eastern Africa – specifically in Ethiopia and Kenya – regarding pastoralism were presented with a view to illustrate the relevance of research findings for policymaking.

The conference was introduced by Willem Olthof, Deputy Head of DEVO Unit C.1 – Rural Development, Food and Nutrition Security. Presentations were made by Ken Otieno from RECONCILE (Resource Conflict Institute), Kenya, the regional focal point for CELEP; Francesco Staro from the University of Paris 8, an anthropologist who coordinates the Focus on Ethiopia section of the CELEP website; and Tezera Getahun, the Executive Director of Pastoralist Forum Ethiopia (PFE). Their PPT presentations can be found here:

• Ken Otieno: Making regional & national policies secure rangelands and pastoralism
• Francesco Staro: Linking research and policy processes related to pastoral development: the case of the “Focus on Ethiopia” project
• Tezera Getahun: Pastoralism in the reforming Ethiopia: policy, assumptions and prospects

The event was livestreamed and can be watched through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/news-and-events/linking-research-policies-and-practices_en

Posted on 3 December 2018 in CELEP Documents, News, Pastoralism, Policy & Power