Characterization and conservation of indigenous sheep genetic resources

Posted on 26 Aug 2011 by Zerihun Sewunet • Leave a comment

A research report by Solomon Gizaw, H. Komen, O. Hanotte, J.A.M. van Arendonk, Steve Kemp, Aynalem Haile, O. Mwai and Tadelle Dessie on Characterization and conservation of indigenous sheep genetic resources: A practical framework for developing countries was released on 12 April 2011. Livestock characterization projects in developing regions are characterized by a mere physical description of traditionally … Continue reading →

Animal Breeding / Biodiversity / Film and video / Genetics / Indigenous Breeds

FAO to finance national projects enhancing livestock diversity

Posted on 22 Jul 2011 by Susan MacMillan • 5 Comments

Livestock genetic diversity is key to global food security; this is the native black pig of the mountainous region of northern Vietnam (photo on Flickr by Rock Portrait Photography). ‘Germany, Norway and Switzerland have contributed a first donation of $1,000,000 to a new, FAO [United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization]-managed fund designed to help developing … Continue reading →

Biodiversity / Capacity Strengthening / East Africa / Environment / Event / Farming Systems / Geodata / ILRI / Innovation Systems / Kenya / Launch / NRM / WLE

Kenya’s ecosystems mapped and put online to enhance the country’s education, environment and development

Posted on 8 Jul 2011 by Susan MacMillan • 1 Comment

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is blogging about a collaborative project called Virtual Kenya, which it is leading with the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and Upande Ltd, a Nairobi-based company bringing geographic information systems and web mapping to the African market. ‘Two weeks ago, WRI and Kenyan partners Upande Ltd., Wildlife Clubs of … Continue reading →

Animal Breeding / Animal Production / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Indigenous Breeds / Livestock

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to review progress in animal genetic resources

Posted on 3 Jul 2011 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • 1 Comment

The Thirteenth Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will be held at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 18 – 22 July 2011. It will review progress made in the implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources. The following agenda items / documents are of particular relevance … Continue reading →

Biodiversity / East Africa / Environment / Event / Geodata / ILRI / Kenya / NRM / Pastoralism / Wildlife / WLE

High-level scientific training kicks off systematic game counts in the Kitengela rangelands outside Nairobi

Posted on 26 Jun 2011 by Susan MacMillan • 1 Comment

Plains game and Masai livestock are relatively compatible in Kitengela and other East African pastoral lands (photo credit: ILRI/Mann). The non-governmental ‘Friends of Nairobi National Park’ organization report the following story this month about a ground count of the wild mammals inhabiting the rangelands an hour’s drive from Kenya’s capital of Nairobi, rangelands that not … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Biodiversity / CGIAR / Food Security / Indigenous Breeds

Our ‘food ark’ is in trouble, says National Geographic Magazine

Posted on 23 Jun 2011 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

In ILRI’s Forage Genebank on the ILRI campus in Addis Ababa, Cary Fowler, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, and Jean Hanson, former head of ILRI’s Genebank, examine seed that was sent a few years ago for safe duplicate storage in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located in the Norwegian Arctic Circle (photo … Continue reading →

Africa / Biodiversity / Botswana / East Africa / Environment / ILRI / Kenya / Report / Southern Africa / Wildlife

Wildlife populations reported to be crashing in Africa’s renowned Mara and Okavango wildlife refuges

Posted on 18 Jun 2011 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

The African Cape buffalo (photo credit: ILRI/Elsworth). Is conservation of wild mammals and their environments in Africa at a crisis point? Are wildlife populations “crashing” in Africa’s most renowned wildlife reserves? Two new reports suggest that may be the case. The following was reported in the Guardian today. ‘The Okavango delta in Botswana has suffered … Continue reading →

Africa / Biodiversity / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Wildlife

Wildlife ‘crash’ reported in Kenya’s famous Masai Mara region

Posted on 1 Jun 2011 by Susan MacMillan • 1 Comment

The African Cape buffalo is all but gone on the Mara ranches adjacent to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve; ‘The status of Masai Mara as a prime conservation area and premier tourist draw card in Kenya may soon be in jeopardy’—Joseph Ogutu (photo credit: ILRI/Elsworth). Matt Walker reports on the BBC this week that populations of … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Biodiversity / Indigenous Breeds / Seeds

‘Farms are not museums’–Cary Fowler

Posted on 27 May 2011 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

In the forage genebank on the Addis Ababa campus of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Cary Fowler, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (left), and Jean Hanson (middle), a geneticist who headed ILRI forage diversity work for two decades and now consults for ILRI, and a member of ILRI’s forage diversity team … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Biodiversity / Cattle / Disease Control / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds

Study finds gene clues to African cattle disease

Posted on 17 May 2011 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

Reuters reports the following yesterday. ‘Scientists studying the tsetse fly-borne disease “sleeping sickness” and a devastating version found in cattle say they have found two genes that may in future help rescue the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Africa. ‘In a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal on … Continue reading →

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Category Archives: Biodiversity