Livestock Systems Grant

About this grant

The ACIAR Livestock Systems Program brokers research partnerships to develop more productive, profitable and sustainable livestock systems for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. It takes a holistic view, examining animal health and production technologies within broader sociocultural, gender, policy and economic contexts, with animal welfare and gender-sensitive approaches as central themes. The program reports an investment of AUD 4.7 million for FY 2025-26 supporting 19 active projects across Africa, South Asia, East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The program has three key focal areas. The first is addressing the climate and livestock space, consolidating evidence on greenhouse-gas emissions reductions from more efficient, climate-smart livestock production. The second is trade and market access, researching the transition from low-input to market-oriented livestock systems through a whole-of-system approach that includes production and biosecurity improvements. The third is the role of animal-sourced foods in nutrition and food security, with particular attention to women and children in food-insecure or malnutrition-prone environments. Active projects include work on black soldier fly farming, smallholder poultry, sheep and goat value chains, regional animal health cooperation, greenhouse gas inventories, brucellosis and zoonotic disease control, insect-based animal feed, and chicken genetics. The page describes the funding as commissioned research delivered through named partner organisations rather than an open call for proposals.

Eligibility

The page describes commissioned partner organisations, including Australian universities, CSIRO, and international research institutes such as ILRI and ICARDA, along with regional bodies and consultancies. It does not state an open application process or eligibility rules for unsolicited applicants.

Key requirements

• ✓Focus on developing productive, profitable and sustainable livestock systems
• ✓Research-led or development project addressing livestock productivity and sustainability
• ✓Likely requires partnership with institutions in developing countries (ACIAR's typical model)
• ✓Alignment with food security and rural development outcomes

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• Australian National University
• Center for Research and Development in Drylands, Kenya
• CSIRO
• Griffith University
• International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
• International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
• International Livestock Research Institute
• Menzies School of Health Research

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Livestock Systems?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL, ASIA, AFRICA, LATAM, OCEANIA; university, research-institution, nonprofit, consortium. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Food systems funding covers sustainable production, supply-chain resilience, food loss, nutrition and smallholder livelihoods. It is offered by agriculture and development agencies, multilateral programmes and foundations, often with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Applicants are generally asked to show local partnerships and how benefits reach farmers or consumers.