Environment / Kenya / Wildlife

Wildlife threatened at Nairobi park

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has implored the government to urgently consider land usage proposals intended to protect the migratory routes of animals. Senior Warden at the Nairobi National Park Michael Wanjau, is concerned that with the rapid encroachment of land in areas surrounding the park, animals will soon have no route to pass through … Continue reading

Environment

Underwire taking the pulse of pop culture review: The Age of Stupid gets smart on enviropocalypse

Blurring the boundary between sci-fi and documentary, Franny Armstrong’s The Age of Stupid peers back in time from a climate crisis-wracked 2055 to lament our current inaction on the mother of all conflicts: The war on terra. The film premieres globally on Monday. “We’re not at war at the moment,” explains Piers Guy, a British … Continue reading

Animal Diseases / Zoonotic Diseases

Global animal health initiative: The way forward

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has commissioned Civic Consulting to conduct a study on the Cost of National Prevention Systems for Animal Diseases and Zoonoses in developing and transition countries. The aims of the study are twofold: (a) estimating the “peace time” costs of veterinary services allowing early detection and rapid response to … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Drought / East Africa / Environment / Food Security / Kenya

Pastoralists: moving with the times?

With children severely malnourished, animals weak or dying, and people struggling to find water, exceptionally dry conditions in the Horn of Africa have added to the cumulative effect of three to four consecutive seasons of poor or failed rains. Severe shortages of pasture and water, combined with high food prices, have left an estimated 24 … Continue reading

Drought / East Africa / Food Security / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya

Satellites to help Kenyans insure against drought

Satellites measuring the greenness of Kenya from space are set to help insure livestock herders against droughts and mitigate the effects of climate change, experts said Friday. “This is a new approach to tackle an old problem,” Carlos Seré, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), said of the satellite-based insurance for cattle, … Continue reading

Food Security

FAO—How to feed the world in 2050: Investment

The issues Wha t kind of inves tments? Most of the investment, both in primary agriculture and downstream sectors, will have to come from private sources, primarily farmers themselves purchasing implements and machinery, improving soil fertility, etc. For a better functioning agricultural system and improved food security, three kinds of public investments are also needed: … Continue reading

Drought / Food Security

FAO hunger portal: With two interesting graphics

On the occasion of World Food Week, FAO launched a new website on hunger. The FAO Hunger Portal features country specific statistics and an interactive world map to visualize the prevalence of hunger around the globe. A set of “Frequently Asked Questions” responds to standard queries on undernourishment. For those interested in deeper analyzes, the … Continue reading