Is a new wave of development work towards food security underway in Africa? On the last day of the conference ‘Increasing agricultural productivity and enhancing food security in Africa’, Mafa Chipeta, formerly at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), reminded fellow Africans that solutions to food security on the continent lay not outside, in the … Continue reading
Category Archives: Agriculture
Agriculture innovation systems: An investment sourcebook
The long-awaited agriculture innovation systems sourcebook has been published by the World Bank (view part 1 and part 2). According to some pre-materials, “the agricultural innovation system (AIS) approach has evolved from a concept into an entire subdiscipline, with principles of analysis and action, yet no detailed blueprint exists for making agricultural innovation happen at … Continue reading
Agriculture / BecA / Biotechnology / CGIAR / Directorate / East Africa / Food Security / ILRI / Interview / Kenya / Nutrition / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research
‘Livestock is the Cinderella of agricultural development’–An interview with Jimmy Smith
A lengthy interview with ILRI’s new director general Jimmy Smith is the leading post on the home page of the Syngenta Foundation website in Nov 2011 (image credit: Syngenta Foundation; credit for photo of Jimmy Smith: ILRI/Apollo Habtamu). ‘Jimmy Smith is the new Director General of [the International Livestock Research Institute] in Nairobi. He recently … Continue reading
A4NH / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Emerging Diseases / Epidemiology / Ethiopia / Event / Human Health / Zoonotic Diseases
Livestock experts to raise profile of livestock and human health research
Livestock experts reflect on livestock research over the past decade and trends that will drive future livestock research during the ‘Livestock Exchange’ held 9-10 November 2011 at ILRI in Ethiopia (picture credit: ILRI/Ewen Le Borgne). Livestock researchers, meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, say that managing livestock diseases of developing countries can save lives as well … Continue reading
Investing in people = investing in long-term benefits
For the November 2011 ‘liveSTOCK Exchange’ event at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Purvi Mehta, head of capacity strengthening, reflects on ILRI’s capacity development activities. ‘I joined ILRI in 2009. Before working at ILRI, I was director of a non-governmental organization in India that worked with the government and over 68,000 farmers in technology … Continue reading
Agriculture / Animal Feeding / Biodiversity / Ethiopia / Film and video / Forages / Genebank / Seeds
ILRI Genebank preserves forages to help farmers produce more food
For the November 2011 ‘liveSTOCK Exchange’ event at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Alexandra Jorge, who has taken over from Jean Hanson as manager of ILRI’s Genebank, reflects on ILRI’s forage research and the importance of the forage seeds genebank hosted at the ILRI campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. ‘I joined ILRI in Ethiopia … Continue reading
A4NH / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Epidemiology / Film and video / Food Safety / Human Health / Research / West Africa
Veterinary scientists address human illnesses associated with livestock
For the November 2011 ‘liveSTOCK Exchange’ event at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Delia Grace, a veterinary epidemiologist, reflects on ILRI’s research in agriculture for human health and nutrition. ‘I first came to ILRI in 2002 to study livestock resistance to trypanocide drugs among livestock keepers in West Africa. We wanted to help farmers … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Australia / BecA / Climate Change / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / Interview / Kenya / Research
Australian champions for international agricultural research speak out on new Australian initiative to reach out to Africa
ILRI’s Gabrielle Persley being interviewed by Australian journalist Kate Sieper at ILRI’s ‘John Vercoe Conference on Animal Breeding for Poverty Reduction’, held in Nairobi in 2007 (photo credit: ILRI/Susan MacMillan). The Australian Federal Government is funding a new multi-million-dollar Australian International Centre for Food Security, aimed at helping millions of Africans lift themselves out of … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / ASF / Australia / BecA / Biotechnology / Capacity Strengthening / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / Nutrition
Australia to set up Africa-focused International Centre for Food Security
Gabrielle Persely at a March 2011 farewell seminar she gave at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), titled ‘Africa, science and agriculture: A 25-year perspective’ (photo credit: ILRI/Mungai). Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard today announced a new initiative to share Australia’s world leading expertise in food production with the people of Africa. The Government will set … Continue reading
Agriculture / Directorate / Film and video / Kenya / Livestock / Livestock Systems / PIM / Policy / Research
Betting on modern sciences and technologies – and a more balanced approach to livestock research for development
For the November 2011 ‘liveSTOCK Exchange’ event at ILRI, John McDermott, the outgoing deputy director general and director of research, reflects on the evolution of ILRI’s research over the past eight years and the future of livestock research for development. ‘Some of what I’m most pleased about us doing in the past few years is … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 