About
The LD4D Feed Baskets Hub has been developed to help make feed basket data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). The goal is to support better use of Feed Basket Data to improve greenhouse gas (GHG) emission estimations and strengthen decision-making across the livestock sector. It is a collaborative output of the Livestock Data for Decisions (LD4D) Livestock Feed Baskets Solutions Group.
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About the Feed Baskets Hub
The Feed Baskets Hub includes a guide, a schema intercomparison report, and a prototype data registry, where people can access and share public datasets.
The Guide aims to support users in understanding, accessing, collecting and sharing livestock feed data. This guidance describes the types of feed data required to address common livestock sector development questions, provides instructions for navigating feed datasets, and offers guidance on evaluating data quality and addressing data gaps. The guide also provides best practice for primary data collection and storage using FAIR data principles so that data can be reused in broader applications while remaining useful for the original purpose.
The Schema presents the results of an ongoing effort to design a reference database Schema intended to serve as a common language for the collection, exchange, and analysis of animal feed basket data across multiple platforms and research programmes.
The Datasets area is a prototype registry of feed baskets data, with links to examples of open access datasets that can be used for research and modelling. We encourage data holders to submit their metadata and make their datasets accessible through the registry.
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About this Initiative
The Challenge
Feed basket data is essential for understanding livestock productivity, animal health and emissions. However, it remains fragmented, difficult to access, and hard to reuse. Data is often collected for specific projects using different methods, formats, and standards, which limit interoperability and shareability. As a result, the sector lacks a common framework for feed basket data, making it difficult to connect datasets and build a robust evidence base. These gaps weaken the use of feed basket data for policy, investment and GHG estimation.
Our Vision
A well-functioning feed data system that optimises the collection and use of feed data and the resources allocated to acquiring and analysing it. This will support enhanced, effective, and efficient decision making for multiple data users relating to a range of development outcomes in which livestock feed data play a significant role.
Our Mission
To strengthen the feed data system by strengthening primary data collection and promoting datasets that are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.
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About the Solutions Group
LD4D members began to look at these challenges in 2024. In 2025, the LD4D Secretariat convened a multi-disciplinary Solutions Group in partnership with the World Bank and Cornell University. The goal was to develop comprehensive feed basket data collection guidelines that will improve GHG emission estimations and support better decision-making across the livestock sector. The Feed Baskets Data Hub is the result of this work.
Solutions Group members
In 2025, the Solutions Group consulted with a wide array of LD4D members, who provided valuable input to shape the group's focus. These diverse experts were drawn from across the feed basket data landscape.
In January 2026, the LD4D Secretariat convened a workshop inviting a smaller subset of members to work on specific outputs, which became the Feed Baskets Data Hub.
Workshop group members
We gratefully acknowledge the following people for their ideas and contributions.
Franco Bilotto Cornell University Andrew Bisson Spark Climate Solutions Rebecca Chamberlin Independent Jennifer Daub The University of Edinburgh Ram Dhulipala International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Alan Duncan University of Edinburgh Mohammad Farrae AIM for Scale Fabio Fidanza Fabio Fidanza Studio Mario Herrero Cornell University Sophie Jenkinson SEBI Livestock, University of Edinburgh Annie Kilroy Development Gateway: An IREX Venture Michael Macleod Scotland's Rural College Ana Miranda SEBI Livestock, University of Edinburgh Merel Moleman The World Bank and Wageningen University & Research Lolita Muller Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Asaah Ndambi Wageningen University & Research An Notenbaert Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Gareth Salmon SEBI Livestock, University of Edinburgh Peter Steward Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Giuseppe Tempio The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Shimels Wassie University of California, Davis Dominik Wisser The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Learn more
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