Twenty-one researchers and professionals from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) Veterinary Science Research Institute (VSRI), successfully completed a three-day LEGS Core Training in October 2025 in Muguga, Kenya.
© Pauline Gitonga
For the first time, the LEGS Core Training was officially accredited by the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB). Each participant earned 24 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, recognizing the LEGS course as part of their professional advancement within Kenya’s veterinary and livestock research community. This KVB-accredited training and the awarding of CPD points marks a significant milestone in mainstreaming humanitarian standards across Kenya’s livestock research and emergency response sectors.
Commissioned by ASAL eXtension Ltd., and facilitated by three LEGS Trainers, the course equipped participants with the knowledge and skills to design and implement livelihoods-based livestock interventions during emergencies such as droughts, floods, and disease outbreaks. For KALRO-VSRI, whose research supports livestock production and resilience in arid and semi-arid lands, the training represents a key step toward bridging scientific research and humanitarian action.
“The training was practical, interactive, and directly relevant to our work. It helped us understand how humanitarian principles apply to livestock research and emergency response,” one participant shared.
According to participant feedback, all objectives of the training were fully met, with unanimous agreement on its relevance. Sessions on Emergency Response Planning, Technical Interventions, and Livelihoods Impacts were highlighted as particularly valuable. Participants also praised the trainers for their engaging facilitation, expertise, and ability to link humanitarian standards with local research realities.
As next steps, participants committed to:
- Disseminating LEGS knowledge within KALRO and partner institutions,
- Exploring LEGS e-modules, including the Drought Module.
- Integrating LEGS standards into livestock research, technology transfer, and drought management.
- Supporting government and community-led preparedness and response initiatives.
By strengthening the capacity of Kenya’s livestock research community, this KVB-accredited LEGS Core Training contributes significantly to national efforts aimed at improving drought preparedness, safeguarding livelihoods, and ensuring more effective and humane livestock emergency interventions.
