Food Security Early Action

Running from July 2021 to June 2026, the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action united an international partnership led by the University of Edinburgh with the International Livestock Research Institute, Save the Children, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab and Community Jameel

Its vision: Vulnerable pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in target regions of East Africa are more informed, prepared for and resilient to the effects of evolving environmental shocks and stresses on their food security and nutrition.

Its mission: To broker science, knowledge, and real-world action to develop inclusive solutions to environmental shocks facing dryland communities. Its core convening activity is a Community of Practice that unites data, science and practice to identify, prioritize and deliver action research, learning and innovation.

Identified with the community of practice in early 2022, a set of  challenge questions guided and framed the Observatory’s research, learning and other activities.  

To advance and address the challenge question, the Observatory sponsored impact collaborations, carried out various research, engaged in policy convening and other dialogues and contributed to capacity development for different audiences.

Its Community of Practice was the heart of the Observatory’s activities. Comprising individuals from diverse organisations, it had critical roles in identifying, discussing and prioritising key questions and challenges, formulating and reviewing options and solutions and contributing to their application.

The people and organisations it worked with included an advisory group, a partner steering group, and Observatory staff, associates and students.

Two videos explain the dryland resilience challenges and how the Observatory addressed the challenges: