Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partnership: an introduction
1. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
LEAP: an introduction
LEAP Annual Meeting
March 6, 2014, Rome
2. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Background
LEAP is developed on the recognition of :
1. The wide range of goods and services provided
by the livestock sector and the projected
growth of the sector
2. The large interface between livestock
production and the environment
3. The extend of livestock supply chains, which go
much beyond the farm gate
4. The multiple stakeholders involved with or
related to the livestock sector
3. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Rationale
• Lack of balanced, detailed, yet comprehensive data and
methods on environmental performance, …
• …leading to confusion, false claims and distraction from
focus on real improvement of environmental performance.
• Need for data and methods:
– Environmental performance declaration is on the horizon
– “You manage what you measure”
• Particularities of the sector requires dedicated attention
(multi-functionality, crop-livestock, land use)
• Other sectors are moving ahead and “setting the rules”.
4. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
What is specific to LEAP?
• Specifically addresses livestock supply chains
• Focuses on metrics and methods
• Addresses a range of environmental issues: GHG
emissions, biodiversity, nutrient cycles, water, etc.
• International and multi-stakeholder: private sector
organizations, Governments, civil society
• Focuses on continuous improvement
5. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Key principle
Evidence based dialogue for sustainability improvement
• Common metrics need to be both science based and
agreed (negotiated) among involved stakeholders
• This principle is shared with the Global Agenda for
Sustainable Livestock, the umbrella under which
LEAP is nested
6. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Structure and governance
• Steering Committee: equal say
• Secretariat hosted at FAO
• Participation is open and voluntary:
members recognize the objective
and principles of LEAP
7. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Origins
• October 2010: Initial idea
• March 2011: Formulation
workshop
• 4 July 2012: Official launch of
the Partnership
• December 2012: Recruitment
of the manager
• February 2013: first meeting
of the technical advisory
groups on feed, small
ruminants and poultry
… currently established until
December 2015
8. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Participants to date
9. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
The activities – 1. Development of guidelines
• Three draft launched today for public review: feed, poultry and small ruminants
• Work stream just initiated on biodiversity and large ruminants
Key role of the Technical Advisory Groups
Feed
Poultry
Small Ruminants
10. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
The activities – 2. To develop a database
on GHG emissions from feed production
Particular attention to the
quantification of emissions
arising from land use and land
use change.
First version of database by the
end of 2014 for:
• Maize
• Soybean
• Wheat
• Barley
• Cassava
11. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
The activities - 3. Communication
Objective: contribute to improving
communication on sustainability
and progress in environmental
performance
• Ensure broad use of the
products: guidelines and
databases
• Coordinate with partner
initiatives and position LEAP
• Enlarge membership
12. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Some Key Challenges
• Ensuring international input from diverse
farming and supply systems
• Contentious areas such as allocation
• Impact categories for which science is in
development, e.g. biodiversity, water
• Improve communication on environmental
sustainability
• Enlarging membership
13. 1st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LEAP PARTNERSHIP :: 6 March 2014 :: Rome, Italy
Opportunities and linkages
• Level of engagement and commitment of
stakeholders in the sector
• Level of technical expertise
• Complementarities with several related
initiatives
• Positioning under the broad umbrella of
the Global Agenda of Action for
sustainable Livestock