The Organization of the Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Support Program

Abstract

In response to the International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1975 and a Title XII Mandate entitled “Famine Prevention and Freedom from Hunger,” provision was made for U.S. universities to participate in Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSP). This legislation specified that research activities would be implemented collaboratively by U.S. and developing country institutions. Agriculture in both developing countries and the U.S. was expected to benefit and costs of research were to be shared appropriately. The Small Ruminant CRSP (SR-CRSP) was the first to be implemented (1978). Initial planning was completed by an independent entity, and the University of California, Davis was selected as the Management Entity. Collaborating U.S. institutions and projects numbered 13 and 17 initially and 10 and 11 in 1988, respectively. Participating host countries have included Brazil (terminated in 1987), Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, and Peru. The U.S. and developing country institutions and the Agency for International Development (AID) have pooled their resources effectively in the development of the SR-CRSP and in the establishment of an international small ruminant research network. Improved technology has been developed and research scientists have been trained in small ruminant production in crop/livestock and range/pasture systems. The Management Entity working in collaboration with the Technical Committee and the Board of Directors from the participating institutions has managed the SR-CRSP effectively. Some lessons derived from the SR-CRSP experience relate to the research/training mandate of the CRSP, the participation of host countries in program planning, the maintenance and reinforcement of linkages between AID missions and the SR-CRSP, and the upper and lower limits on program scope and funding.