7 May 2009: A consortium consisting of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Feinstein International Center (Tufts University), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the African Union and Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Europa, has published a set of Livestock Emergency Standards and Guidelines (LEGS) to assist in the design of emergency relief actions for livestock keepers affected by climate change.

The LEGS initiative includes a set of international guidelines, decision support tools and standards for the design, implementation and assessment of livestock interventions on behalf of populations in need of emergency relief. It seeks to provide rapid assistance to crisis-affected populations, assist them to rebuild those assets, and protect their livestock assets. According to FAO Senior Livestock Officer Simon Mack, the guidelines will be particularly relevant in the context of climate change, which is causing a growing number of humanitarian crises affecting livestock-reliant communities. [FAO press release] [LEGS website]