The 2013-2022 ILRI strategy incorporates several important changes.  In general, it moves away from the former focus on poverty to a broader agenda addressing both poverty and food security in ways that are environmentally sustainable, good for human health and nutrition, and equitable (www.ilri.org/mission).

The strategy argues that ILRI should broaden its target beneficiaries to include other value chain and civil society actors, poor urban as well as rural consumers, with a particular focus on women. ILRI’s new research agenda also more directly addresses the negative as well as positive impacts of livestock. It spans high-end biosciences to social, value chain and gender research. Attention to multi-stakeholder partnerships and capacity development, with stronger regional programs is intended to ensure that ILRI’s  research outputs lead to research outcomes.

This means that ILRI should also consider whether the representation of its mandate and focus in its name and communication materials is ‘fit for purpose’ – raising questions like:

• Are there particular actions ILRI should make to enhance the profile and visibility of its research and wider livestock mandate in different regions and countries?
• How well does the name ‘International Livestock Research Institute’ capture our mandate and resonate with partners?
• Are there particular challenges or issues around the use and recognition of the organization’s name and ‘ILRI’ acronym in different regions of the world?

Take this quick staff survey to help us better understand where we are now

Deadline for comments – 8 March 2014

A similar survey will be circulated to ILRI’s collaborators and partners.