The rationale for this new AOI is to address challenges beyond the farmgate, namely market access and performance, pricing of ASF and livestock. It will also address research on scaling pathways to ensure that generated innovations reach the target users. Research areas include: 

• ASF marketing: Research into the potential of new market opportunities supported by supply and demand-side data (e.g., adoption rates for the former and willingness-to-pay studies for the latter). The research into market innovations will target the entire value chain, from livestock production to processing and distribution. Research could examine improvements in market performance with demonstrable benefits to women and youth (monetary or otherwise), particularly through increased entrepreneurial opportunities, while focusing on value chains prioritized by target country governments and USAID. 
• ASF pricing: Research that monitors and improves understanding of availability and prices of ASF in markets across seasons and geographies. Information from such studies is critical for examining the links between increased access and affordability of ASF, ASF consumption, and household/community level resilience. 
• Market performance: Research on market diagnostics that considers market functionality at the micro and aggregate levels while viewing market performance through the lens of resilience. Research could examine improving market access for smallholders and pastoralists; how the resilience of livestock markets (facing shocks like conflict, climate, and disease) and market actors (particularly women, youth and marginalized groups) are affected by stressors; how existing policies affect the stressors; and how the private sector can be engaged to alleviate the stressors. 
• Market-based solutions: Research on a market-based approach to the challenges associated with other AOIs and CCTs. Examples include creating incentives for improved delivery of extension and animal health services, increasing affordability of ASF for better nutrition, increasing participation by women and youth in commercial livestock value chains, and testing interventions that support enabling environments for thriving livestock markets.
• Scaling of innovations: Research will compare alternative scaling pathways or design scale-up so that credible analysis of innovation impacts can be conducted at scale, while engaging diverse private-sector actors along ASF value chains. Proposals emphasizing innovation translation will need to outline how to create incentives for inclusive and sustainable private-sector solutions that encourage recruiting and training of youth entrepreneurs, developing business plans, and sourcing complementary or alternative financing.

• Burkina Faso: Animal-Source Foods Production and Marketing Brief
• Cambodia: Animal-Source Foods Production and Marketing Brief
• Dahl, G. and Hendrickx, S. 2018. Rapid assessment of the gaps in dairy cattle feeding and management that constrain milk quality and quantity in Rwanda
• Ethiopia: Animal-Source Foods Production and Marketing Brief
• Nepal: Animal-Source Foods Production and Marketing Brief
• Rwanda: Animal-Source Foods Production and Marketing Brief
• Varijakshapanicker, P., McKune, S., Miller, L., Hendrickx, S., Balehegn, M., Dahl, G. E., and Adesogan, A. T. 2019. Sustainable livestock systems to improve human nutrition, health, & econ. status (PDF). Animal Frontiers. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfz041
• Video: From Herds to Households: Unpacking the challenges and benefits around animal-source foods

This team is led by Dr. Conner Mullally.