38. Better policies in the livestock sector of sub-Saharan Africa are unlikely to be adopted on a wide scale unless the process of policy analysis and making (which, together, constitute "policy formulation") can itself be improved. By process I include such things as: the early identification of forthcoming problems and opportunities and of the policy options open to government in confronting these; the analysis of the likely benefits and costs of the various options; consultation with the interests (e.g. consumers', producers', distributors', bureaucratic, political) most closely involved so that unforeseen snags do not suddenly emerge; a clear decision in favour of a particular policy which sets out the objectives and instruments; and the management of the bureaucratic, political and legislative process so that the policy decision becomes effective.
39. I am now going to present a caricature of the process of livestock policy formulation as currently practised in sub-Saharan Africa. The caricature is cruel, mythical and does not apply closely to any one country in Africa or to any one donor. But such caricatures or 'parables" are useful devices for bringing to life general principles which, in the abstract, are somewhat boring. There are probably elements in this particular caricature which correspond closely enough to actual experience to make many readers of this paper uncomfortable.
