1. Supporting policy change through research: Experiences from the Smallholder Dairy Project in Kenya Presentation by Nick Hooton Inception Stakeholder Meeting for the ACIAR ‘Improving the Competitiveness of Pig Producers in an Adjusting Vietnam Market’ Project 22nd June 2007

2. Why this presentation? • This ACIAR project goes beyond research activities – Objective 5 is to: • Promote awareness and uptake of the pro-poor policy, institutional and investment options emerging from the project amongst stakeholders, decision makers, investors and market actors in the pig industry in Vietnam. • But when and why does research actually result in changed policy and practice? • How can such influence be achieved for the ACIAR project? • Lessons from a recent collaborative project in Kenya may help with a strategy for this.

3. What I will talk about • Outline of dairy marketing policy issues in Kenya • What was the Smallholder Dairy Project? • What did it achieve? • How did it achieve this? • Case study from ILRI/ODI policy process project • What lessons can be drawn that will help towards achieving Objective 5 and the overall aim of the ACIAR project?

4. The dairy sector in Kenya

5. The dairy sector in Kenya • Very important agricultural sub-sector • Predominantly based on smallholder production with informal marketing of ‘raw’ milk by small-scale traders • >86% of all marketed milk is sold as ‘raw’ (unprocessed) milk to consumers • Based on strong consumer demand for fresh, unprocessed milk • Over 800,000 dairy-cow owning households • Employing some 350,000 full time employees • Majority of all dairy marketing jobs (over 40,000 jobs) are in the informal sector • Poor consumers access affordable milk • Milk is invariably boiled before use, eliminating bacterial public health concerns

6. Policy environment – pre 2004 • Dairy policy based on industrial cold-chain model, for processed milk. • Sales of raw milk prohibited in urban areas • Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) are main regulators • But make-up did not reflect range of sector stakeholders • Powerful private sector actors (processors and packaging manufacturers) put pressure on KDB to stamp out informal trade • There were perceived concerns about poor milk quality and public health risks • KDB and others harassed and arrested small traders • Small traders were unlicensed and unable to access training on milk handling

7. Policy environment - now • Positive engagement by KDB with small-scale milk vendors • Training and certification, with incentive system • Working with partners to help establish business development services to informal sector • A new Dairy Policy in parliamentary process • Explicitly recognises role of small traders • Commits to engaging with informal sector for training and quality improvement • Transition of KDB to be stakeholder-managed • Engagement and development of the raw milk market as part of dairy development strategy

8. How did this change happen? • A key role was played by research evidence from the Smallholder Dairy Project • Conclusion of a detailed study by ODI/ILRI on influences leading to the policy change

9. What was the Smallholder Dairy Project (SDP)? • A collaborative research and development project (1997-2004) jointly implemented by • Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development • Kenya Agricultural Research Institute • International Livestock Research Institute • Goal • Improved access by poor dairy farmers to goods, services and output markets, and by other farmers to agricultural knowledge services • Purpose • Policies and institutions to support: a) dairying by the poor and b) effective agricultural knowledge systems in support of the poor

10. SDP evidence about the sector • Produced wide-ranging & robust evidence on: • Economic importance of informal sector • Livelihoods and employment • Consumer demand underlying market structure • Actual public health risks & how they can be reduced • Practical training and support for informal traders • Nutritional benefits for poor consumers • Evidence implied a different model for dairy marketing policy in Kenya, with a key role for informal sector • ‘Bridging the regulatory gap’ – engagement with small-scale traders as part of the development strategy

11. SDP strategy to influence policy • All activities based on the research evidence • Collaborative approach meant continual communication of evidence from start of project • Steering committee of key industry stakeholders • Project manager within Ministry of Livestock • Regular presentation of evidence to stakeholder meetings • Field visits • Use of media • High level Policy Forum • Links with poverty-focused NGOs to allow evidence to be more actively promoted

12. SDP’s influencing strategy

13. Key factors 1: • “Ownership” – developed & led by government, collaboratively with ILRI • Effective partnerships • Built over time • But opportunistic where appropriate • Good working relationships • Continuity • Shared vision and objectives

14. Key factors 2: • Communication: • Throughout project – from inception to end • To wide range of actors • Strategic and ‘multi-pronged’ • Production of variety (‘hierarchy’) of materials for different audiences • Policy briefs produced and actively used • Opportunistic

15. Media

16. Briefs

17. Technical Reports

18. Meetings

19. Key factors 3: • Awareness of political and economic environment and role/incentives of key actors to act on the results of the research. • Sensitivity to conflicts in the interpretation of evidence – keeping talking to those opposed to change. • Close links to underlying government policies and strategies. • An evolving strategy to take account of all these

20. Key factors 4: • Participatory approaches • Made evidence relevant and developed practical solutions • Pilot testing of interventions. • Enabled KDB to test new approaches in collaboration with NGO and research partners • Flexible project arrangements – ability to focus on key issues that emerged and evolved

21. And the ACIAR project? • A different sector in a different country • But certain principles are still likely to enable the research to inform policy choices effectively

22. Key principles: • Partnership/Collaboration: • Maintain close partnerships between core partners (and other stakeholders as appropriate) • Involves significant time and effort • Ensure research meets the demands of all relevant stakeholders • Policy makers, small-scale and large-scale farmers, consumers, input and output suppliers, service deliverers etc • Include participatory approaches where possible • Producing relevant, robust and complete evidence • Communication at all stages with all relevant stakeholders, using diverse means

23. More information • ILRI/ODI policy process project • Process & Partnership for Pro-poor Policy Change • www.pppppc.org • Smallholder Dairy Project • www.smallholderdairy.org • ODI “Research and Policy in Development” (RAPID) Programme • www.odi.org.uk/rapid

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