Livestock Data Catalogue

The data catalogue will enable the SEBI-L team and our partners to quickly find recent and relevant sources of livestock and aquaculture data in specific contexts. Think of it as a well-organised library index: while the catalogue will not store raw data, it will provide a comprehensive guide to where data lives, who produced it, how up-to-date and detailed it is, and where it can be accessed. By bringing order to fragmented information scattered across government reports, international databases, and academic papers, this tool will enable our team and partners to quickly locate the specific contextual data needed to support monitoring, analysis and modelling efforts. 

The challenge

To support the Gates Foundation’s strategic investments, the SEBI-L team needs to access robust baseline data on livestock populations, productivity, and disease. However, this critical information is often siloed in disparate locations—from obscure spreadsheets and project files to hard-to-access government reports. This fragmentation makes it difficult to know what data exists, leading to duplicated search efforts and delays in answering key research questions. Without a unified reference point, researchers risk missing vital datasets or relying on outdated information, compromising the accuracy of our models and evidence syntheses.

Our approach: a centralised reference point

Our approach focuses on curating metadata rather than raw data, creating a sustainable and scalable system for knowledge management. The catalogue will use consistent, standards-based descriptions to allow users to compare sources and judge their fitness for purpose.

• Targeted scope: Initially, the catalogue will focus on national and sub-national data regarding livestock populations, production, productivity, and animal health. It will prioritise the countries, species, commodities, and production systems most relevant to Gates Foundation priorities.
• Future expansion: Over the course of the SEBI-Livestock EnAct programme (2026-2030), we plan to expand the catalogue’s coverage to include themes such as pricing, income, livelihoods, and gender and inclusivity data.
• Gap analysis: A unique feature of the catalogue is its ability to reveal where data is missing. By documenting what doesn't exist or isn't accessible, we help guide future investments in data collection and evidence generation.

This activity directly supports the "Evidence Base" pillar of our workflow, ensuring that our evidence synthesis and models are built on the most comprehensive and accessible data foundation possible.

Strategic value and outcomes

The catalogue has three main goals:

1. Make livestock data easier to find. It brings fragmented sources together so users can quickly see what data exists, where it is held, and how to obtain it.
2. Help users judge whether data are fit for purpose. By documenting how each source was produced and what it does (and does not) cover, it helps users decide whether the data suit their question.
3. Reveal where data are missing. It highlights gaps — whether data doesn't exist, can't be found, can't be accessed, or aren't detailed enough — to guide future investment in better livestock evidence.

Next Steps

The catalogue is designed to be a living resource, actively maintained and regularly updated as new sources are identified and new questions arise. Current efforts are focused on populating the initial dataset with high-priority sources and refining the search interface. As the tool develops, we will integrate it more closely with our public evidence dashboards, ensuring that the global research community can also benefit from this curated knowledge base.