What IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development does

The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) is a specialized regional institution under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Established as part of IGAD's institutional framework (IGAD was constituted in 1996, succeeding IGADD founded in 1986), ICPALD coordinates sustainable livestock and pastoral resource development across the 8 IGAD member states: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Its mandate spans four areas organized into three departments: Drylands Development and Pastoralism, Livestock Development, and Research, Policy and Knowledge Management.

ICPALD operates a portfolio of interconnected platforms and programs rather than a single unified product. Core technical assets include an ArcGIS-based interactive maps platform delivering livestock statistics, thematic maps, and rangeland health monitoring across the region; a Google Earth Engine-based rangeland monitoring tool; seasonal Rangeland Forage Predictions (e.g., JJAS 2026 advisory) for cross-border pastoral areas; and the Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF) producing regional seasonal climate outlooks. Its programs include synchronized cross-border vaccination campaigns (Mandera Cluster, Moyale Cluster), the EU-funded PLACE project, the SDC/AFD-funded 12-year Regional Livestock Program (RLP, 2023-2035) targeting 5 livestock trade corridors, the AfDB-funded BREFONS and EIDFR projects, and the IDRC/FCDO-funded PASSAGE project on anticipatory action.

ICPALD's business model is that of a donor-funded intergovernmental coordination institution rather than a commercial enterprise. It has no product pricing; services are delivered through member state coordination and development-partner-funded projects, with funding sourced from the EU, GIZ, FAO, SDC, AfDB, IDRC, FCDO, SIDA, and other international development agencies. Implementation is supported by partners including Mercy Corps, Helvetas, VSF Suisse/Germany, ILRI, IFRC, WFP, and ICPAC. The organization maintains a small technical staff of 11-50 employees, with operational scale evidenced by 37.8 million animals vaccinated across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda between 2019-2023, and 1.68 million beneficiaries reached.

Name

IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development

Legal name

IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development

Website

https://icpald.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICPALD is a Nairobi-based IGAD specialized institution coordinating sustainable pastoral and livestock development across 8 East African member states through donor-funded programs, GIS platforms, climate forecasting, and cross-border vaccination campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Development and Livestock Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Technical Assistance (BPADAEAG), Multilateral Global Health Agencies (UN/IFIs) (HLAJAKAA), Health Certification, Compliance & Traceability Support (Movement Certs, QA Programs) (AFACALAI), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO)

Keywords

• Pastoral livestock development
• Regional development coordination
• Rangeland health monitoring
• Cross-border animal health
• Drylands climate adaptation

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Development Partner Funding: ICPALD operates as a regional intergovernmental institution funded primarily through development partner contributions, member state allocations, and project-based funding from organizations such as EU, AfDB, SDC, GIZ, FAO, and other international development agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICPALD is a specialized regional institution under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) that coordinates and implements programs for sustainable livestock production, pastoralist livelihoods, and dryland development across eight IGAD member states in East Africa. It delivers services through donor-funded projects covering cross-border animal disease control, climate forecasting, rangeland management, policy harmonization, and capacity building. Its core offerings include an interactive GIS mapping platform, seasonal rangeland forage predictions, synchronized vaccination campaigns, and regional policy and knowledge management outputs.

Product overview

ICPALD operates as a specialized regional institution under IGAD, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and platforms rather than a single unified product. Core offerings include: (1) an Interactive Maps and GIS Platform using ArcGIS for livestock statistics, thematic mapping, and rangeland health monitoring; (2) seasonal forecasting products including Rangeland Forage Predictions and the Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF); (3) cross-border coordination programs including synchronized vaccination campaigns and the PASSAGE anticipatory action project; and (4) thematic departments covering Drylands Development, Livestock Development, and Research/Policy/Knowledge Management. The organization implements multiple donor-funded projects (PLACE, RLP, EIDFR, BREFONS, SEM) that deliver technical services to IGAD member states. The portfolio is organized around four strategic areas: drylands and pastoralism, livestock development, and research/policy/knowledge management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Maps and GIS Platform Web-based GIS platform providing interactive maps, livestock statistics, thematic maps, and rangeland health monitoring tools for the IGAD region. Targeted at member state governments, researchers, and development partners.
• Rangeland Health Monitoring Tool Remote sensing-based monitoring tool that uses Google Earth Engine to track vegetation, forage conditions, and ecosystem health across IGAD member states. Targeted at member state authorities and pastoral communities.
• Seasonal Rangeland Forage Prediction Seasonal advisory delivering pasture condition and regeneration forecasts for cross-border areas of IGAD clusters. Targeted at member state ministries, livestock agencies, and pastoral community early warning systems.
• Cross-Border Vaccination Coordination Program Regional coordination mechanism for harmonized surveillance, synchronized vaccination campaigns, outbreak response, and sanitary/phytosanitary compliance across IGAD member state borders. Targeted at member state veterinary authorities and pastoral livestock keepers.
• Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF) Regional forum producing seasonal climate outlooks and technical statements for decision-makers across the Greater Horn of Africa. Targeted at member state meteorological services, humanitarian agencies, and ministries.
• Regional Livestock Program (RLP) Multi-year program funded by SDC/AFD improving livestock productivity, market competitiveness, and the policy enabling environment along camel milk and trade corridors across IGAD member states. Targeted at member state ministries and livestock market actors.
• PLACE (Pastoralism and Livestock Adaptation to Climate Change in Eastern Africa) EU-funded program supporting resilience of pastoralists through cross-border coordination, synchronized vaccination, and policy harmonization across IGAD member states. Targeted at pastoral communities and member state livestock authorities.
• PASSAGE (Strengthening Pastoral Livelihoods through Effective Anticipatory Action) Project on drought anticipatory action integrating scientific forecasts with indigenous knowledge systems to produce community-level risk narratives and early warning advisories. Targeted at pastoral communities and national drought management authorities.
• BREFONS (Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security) AfDB-funded project contributing to food and nutrition security resilience in the IGAD region through cross-border vaccination and livelihood support. Targeted at vulnerable pastoral and agro-pastoral communities.
• EIDFR (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development for Fragility Reduction) Project AfDB-funded project enhancing institutional capacity for entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems, generating sustainable youth employment in Djibouti and South Sudan. Targeted at universities, incubation hubs, and youth entrepreneurs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37.8 million animals vaccinated between 2019-2023 across Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• FAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood and Agriculture Organization collaborates on veterinary governance, SPS committee strengthening, RVF alerts, and joint initiatives on animal health and pastoral development.
• Mercy CorpsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for the Regional Livestock Program (RLP), working on policy implementation and stakeholder coordination across livestock trade corridors.
• HelvetasmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for RLP, contributing to policy harmonization and implementation support across member states.
• VSF SuisseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVeterinarians without Borders Switzerland engaged in livestock development along cross-border areas supporting vaccination campaigns.
• VSF GermanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVeterinarians without Borders Germany participating in cross-border animal health cooperation forums and vaccination programs.
• HelvetasminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupporting cross-border cooperation activities and livestock development initiatives.
• National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan government agency collaborating on community risk narratives, early warning systems, and anticipatory action under the PASSAGE project.
• University of DjiboutimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for EIDFR project, with Graduate Studies Director serving as National Focal Person. Hosted incubation workshops for youth entrepreneurs.
• Duda CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate-smart agriculture demonstration site visited during EIDFR workshop, showcasing modern wastewater recycling technologies.
• University of JubamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for EIDFR project in South Sudan, co-organizing incubation immersion workshops for youth-led startups.
• Kenya Meteorological DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency providing scientific weather forecasts integrated with indigenous knowledge for community risk narratives and early warning.
• ILRImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Livestock Research Institute collaborating with ICPALD on Participatory Rangeland Management (PRM) manual development.
• ICPACcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, collaborating on climate outlook forums, rangeland forage predictions, and early warning systems.
• NORCAPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNorwegian Capacity providing technical expertise for climate outlook forums and meteorological service strengthening.
• WMOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Meteorological Organization contributing to Sub-COF forums through Global Producing Centres for climate forecasting.
• IFRCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, co-hosting the 1st Eastern Africa Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action.
• WFPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Food Programme collaborating on Anticipatory Action frameworks and early warning systems.
• SPARCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises, co-convening policy dialogues on drylands and pastoralism resilience.
• Jameel ObservatorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action, co-convening conferences on building resilience for pastoralists and dryland communities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Food Programme (WFP): UN humanitarian agency collaborating with ICPALD on anticipatory action frameworks and early warning systems. WFP is a strategic partner with a broader humanitarian-food security mandate, but shares the regional resilience-building agenda in the IGAD region.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): Global humanitarian network that co-hosted the 1st Eastern Africa Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action with ICPALD. IFRC operates at a much larger scale on humanitarian coordination but engages ICPALD as a regional counterpart on resilience and anticipatory action.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Global UN body with a regional livestock and animal health portfolio covering the IGAD region. FAO is a strategic co-development partner of ICPALD on VET-GOV, SPS, and RVF alerts, and offers overlapping but far broader capabilities.

Emerging players

• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): CGIAR research institute focused on livestock science for the developing world. ILRI partners with ICPALD on the Participatory Rangeland Management (PRM) manual and shares a livestock-focused mission in Eastern Africa, but is primarily research-driven rather than a coordination body.

Regional players

• Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA): SADC-mandated regional agricultural coordination body structurally analogous to ICPALD in the IGAD context. CCARDESA demonstrates the same regional-institutional coordination model but operates in Southern Africa rather than Eastern Africa.

Direct peers

• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF Germany): INGO implementing cross-border animal health programs and vaccination campaigns in the Horn of Africa. VSF Germany is a direct implementation partner of ICPALD on cross-border animal health cooperation, with highly comparable field-level activities.
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF Suisse): Swiss veterinary NGO engaged in livestock development along cross-border areas of the Horn of Africa. VSF Suisse is an ICPALD implementation partner on vaccination campaigns and shares a regional, pastoralist-focused mandate.
• AU Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC): African Union specialized center for veterinary vaccine quality assurance and standardization. AU-PANVAC operates at the continental level in a directly adjacent sub-domain of ICPALD's vaccination coordination and animal health mandate.
• IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC): Sister specialized institution under IGAD with a parallel regional coordination mandate for climate services. ICPAC is a strategic partner of ICPALD on GHACOF, climate outlook forums, and rangeland forage predictions, making it the most directly comparable IGAD-specialized peer.
• African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR): Continental-level body under the African Union responsible for animal resources coordination across Africa. AU-IBAR plays a structurally similar role to ICPALD at the continental scale, with overlapping mandates on animal health policy, livestock development, and transboundary disease control.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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