Distance learning courses on animal health and production from the LIDC

Posted on 24 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

In October this year, an online database of more than 140 distance learning courses about international development, featuring courses from the RVC, was launched by Distance Learning for Development (DL4D). The postgraduate courses, including Principles of Livestock Production, Globalisation and Health, Planning for Education and Development, Climate Change and Development, and Understanding Poverty are primarily … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / East Africa / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / Livestock

Journalists experience livestock science in action in Kenya’s south Rift Valley

Posted on 24 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

A ‘science safari’ to the south Rift Valley has enabled African journalists to get first-hand experience of the recent drought in Kenya and the impacts on pastoralists and their livestock. Eight radio and print journalists from East, West and southern Africa took part in the ‘safari’, as part of the latest ‘better science reporting’ workshop … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Capacity Strengthening / CapDev / East Africa / Ethiopia / ILRI / Innovation Systems / IPMS / Livestock

Applying innovation system concepts in agricultural research for development: A learning module

Posted on 23 Nov 2009 by Zerihun Sewunet • Leave a comment

This report by Ponniah Anandajayasekeram and Ranjitha Puskur of ILRI and Elias Zerfu of IFPRI on Applying innovation system concepts in agricultural research for development was released on 23 November, 2009. This learning module is expected to have multiple uses. One, a source material for trainings that could be organized at different levels, and two, as … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Livestock

Improving health in an interconnected world

Posted on 20 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

On November 17, 2009, the One Health Commission held a summit convening leading health science experts across the human, animal and ecosystem disciplines. The One Health Commission Summit aimed to raise awareness of the importance of transcending institutional and disciplinary boundaries to improve health outcomes for all species. During the Summit, the Institute of Medicine … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Animal Health / India / Knowledge and Information / Livestock

Addressing animal health knowledge gaps in Southern countries

Posted on 19 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Livestock are a key asset for the global poor. However, access to relevant information is a critical issue for both livestock development practitioners and the poor themselves. This paper details the creation of an on-line Animal Health Resource Room. The Animal Health Resource Room was created to deliver learning media i.e. videos and pamphlets to … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Animal Health / Cattle / Climate Change / Livestock

A world without roast beef: Who wants that?

Posted on 18 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Sir Paul McCartney arrived in Brussels yesterday to recruit support for his “meat-free Mondays” campaign. The argument seems so easy: cut down meat consumption and the planet will be saved. But even if a world without roast beef was one in which we all wanted to live (please count me out), we need to think … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Ethiopia / ILRI / Regions / Research

Ethiopian breeder awarded highest honour by his country’s president

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Ethiopia’s President, H.E. Ato Girma Woldegiorgis has awarded Ethiopian sorghum breeder and 2009 World Food Prize Laureate Prof Gebisa Ejeta the National Hero Award, the nation’s highest honour. This is the first time the award has been given to an Ethiopian for work in science and technology. Prof Ejeta received the honour at a ‘Dialogue … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Cattle / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Vulnerability

Pastoralists enter safety zone with insurance cover

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

…Pastoralists will be compensated for loss of their animals from January after a livestock insurance product is launched in Kenya. However, details of the exact amount of premium to be paid will depend on the insurance company that have agreed to partner with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the institution that developed the product. … Continue reading →

Agriculture / East Africa / Food Security / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Tanzania / Uganda

Food security in East Africa is ‘within reach’

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • 1 Comment

East Africa will face both crop gains and losses as a result of climate change, but food security is an achievable goal if new farming technologies are embraced, says a study. The research, published in Agricultural Systems this month (3 November), predicts that yields of staples like maize and beans will double in the region’s … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Drought / East Africa / Eritrea / Ethiopia / Food Security / Kenya / Somalia / Sudan / Uganda

Over 20 million people need food aid in East Africa: U.N

Posted on 16 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Drought and war in eastern Africa have left more than 20 million people in desperate need of emergency food aid, the United Nations said on Tuesday. “The situation is very worrying due to expected crop and pasture failures from poor rains in several areas, the increase in conflicts, trade disruptions and continuing high food prices,” … Continue reading →