Sir Paul McCartney will this week throw his weight behind a growing campaign to address global warming by reducing the amount of meat we eat, lobbying EU politicians for their backing. The former Beatle will interrupt a European tour to fly to Brussels on Thursday, where he will make his case at a special hearing … Continue reading »
Monthly Archives: November 2009
The ultimate crop rotation
Lured by a new business model, wealthy nations flock to farmland in Ethiopia, locking in food supplies grown half a world away BAKO, ETHIOPIA — In recent months, the Ethiopian government began marketing abroad one of the hottest commodities in an increasingly crowded and hungry world: farmland. “Why Attractive?” reads one glossy poster with photos … Continue reading »
Africa / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Biotech / Cattle / East Africa / ILRI / Livestock / Tanzania / Vaccines
Group works to expand supply of cattle vaccine in Africa
Each year a million cows in Africa die from East Coast fever. The disease is spread by tick bites. Young cows are most at risk; they can die within days. Farmers and herders can lose up to half or more of their calves to East Coast fever. The disease is widespread in eleven countries. And … Continue reading »
From pasture to plate: The beef journey
Currently, 90 per cent of meat eaten in East Africa comes from pastoralists, who move with their flocks and herds in search of grazing and water. Pius Sawa discovers just how the meat gets from those pastures to his plate. It’s an amazing journey. Read (and listen) … (AGFAX) Continue reading »
Africa / Drought / East Africa / Kenya / Livestock / Pastoralism
Community science; understanding drought
In East Africa, drought has caused terrible losses, with cattle dying in large numbers. Now, some livestock keepers have decided to conduct a drought survey, to find out what they could have done to be better prepared. Kofi Adu Domfeh visited some of those who took part, to find out how useful such community-driven research … Continue reading »
Engro Foods launches Pakistan’s first Dairy Hub
Milk demand is growing by 15 per cent while supply has been increasing by only 3 to 4 per cent in the country. Managing Director Tetra Pak Pakistan, Azhar Ali Syed at the launching ceremony of the first Dairy Hub of Pakistan in Kassowal, district Sahiwal said Pakistan’s dairy sector is at an important crossroad. … Continue reading »
Africa / Agriculture / East Africa / Ethiopia / Livestock / Pastoralism
IFAD provides USD 39 million to Ethiopia to improve the lives of pastoralists and their families
A US$19.5 million loan and a US$19.5 million grant from IFAD to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia will support the delivery of basic social services to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the country – pastoralists and their families. After the success of its first phase, the Pastoral Community Development Project … Continue reading »
Agriculture / Animal Health / Cattle / Climate Change / Europe / Livestock / Sheep / Small Ruminants / UK
UK report on health and climate change calls for livestock production cuts
According to the Cattlesite, a new report in the medical journal The Lancet has called for a 30 per cent reduction in livestock production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the UK emission targets for 2030. According to the Farmers Guardian, the UK Government has been slammed by critics over the report: “The controversy … Continue reading »
Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / MarketOpps / Markets / Rwanda / Uganda
Business hubs for dairy farmers
Selling milk from dairy cows and goats can be an excellent business for small-scale farmers. Recently, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has established a project in three East African countries, which aims to double the income of one million rural people, through small-scale dairying. Dr Amos Omore from the International Livestock Research Institute explains … Continue reading »
Proven successes in agricultural development in Ethiopia
Launching the ‘Millions Fed’ book in Addis Ababa yesterday, Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development H.E Ato Tefera Derebew congratulated IFPRI and the authors: “It is good that we have best practices identified and that we have menus that help us choose what suits our situation.” He also noted that Ethiopia has many best … Continue reading »
