Data-driven investment and performance management in the livestock sector

Evidence-based decision-making is now axiomatic in many sectors and has become increasingly important in prioritising development in low- and middle-income countries. In the livestock development sector, there has been a lack of data on health and production required to establish an evidence base. Thus, much strategic and policy decision-making has been based on the more subjective grounds of opinion, expert or otherwise. However, there is now a trend towards a more data-driven approach for such decisions. The Centre for Supporting Evidence-Based Interventions in Livestock was established in Edinburgh by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2016, to collate and publish livestock health and production data, lead a community of practice to harmonise livestock-data-related methodologies, and develop and monitor performance indicators for livestock investments.