Australian body calls for RENEWABLE FOOD (aka ‘regenerative agriculture’ or ‘circular food economies’) as well as renewable energy
Advocacy / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Australia / Consumption / Event report / Food Security / Human Health / Nutrition / Policy

Australian body calls for RENEWABLE FOOD (aka ‘regenerative agriculture’ or ‘circular food economies’) as well as renewable energy

The Commission for the Human Future’s second round table conference on global threats and solutions has called for a worldwide effort to transform global food production to a system that is renewable, healthy and fair to all. Continue reading

Vaccines against this year’s novel (and world-changing) coronavirus are already in development and being tested—Good news from Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty
Advocacy / Agri-Health / Animal Diseases / Australia / COVID19 / Directorate / Emerging Diseases / Film and video / Human Health / ILRI / ILRIComms / News clipping / Opinion piece / Zoonotic Diseases

Vaccines against this year’s novel (and world-changing) coronavirus are already in development and being tested—Good news from Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty

While some COVID-19 surges are now ‘baked-in’, the viral curves should flatten with appropriate measures now being introduced in many countries, and several different vaccines are being developed and already being tested, says Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty. Australian veterinary and medical immunology researcher Peter Doherty won the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Now based in Melbourne, Doherty is patron of the the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, a joint venture between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Doherty is also a former board member and current patron of ILRI. Continue reading

Tropical agriculture conference takes unexpected turn: Toward optimism
Agriculture / Australia / Communications / News clipping / Research / Roundup

Tropical agriculture conference takes unexpected turn: Toward optimism

The future of livestock in the developing world was one of the principal themes at the third International Tropical Agriculture (TropAg) Conference held from 11-13 November 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. The conference focused on the challenge of feeding the world’s ever-growing population, which is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. The greatest challenges will … Continue reading

Jimmy Smith speaks in Australia on the pursuit of a ‘low-emissions cow’ and other livestock matters
Animal Breeding / Australia / Directorate / ECF / Genetics / ILRI / News clipping / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research

Jimmy Smith speaks in Australia on the pursuit of a ‘low-emissions cow’ and other livestock matters

‘Visiting Brisbane in November for the International Tropical Agriculture Conference for 2017, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute Dr. Jimmy Smith discussed with Devex a range of new and exciting programs his organization is delivering to help create climate and disease resistant livestock for Africa.’ Continue reading

How the anti-meat mantra of rich countries hurts development in poor countries
Australia / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / News clipping / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Staff

How the anti-meat mantra of rich countries hurts development in poor countries

Rich countries making bad food choices and consuming too much meat should not force their ideas about environmental and health issues and agricultural sustainability on the world’s many hungry people who eat too little livestock-sourced nutrition says, says Dr Jimmy Smith from the International Livestock Research Institute in Africa. Continue reading

Jimmy Smith in Australia makes the case for greater investments in pro-poor livestock development
Africa / Australia / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / Interview / Opinion piece / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research / South Asia / Southeast Asia / Vietnam

Jimmy Smith in Australia makes the case for greater investments in pro-poor livestock development

The livestock sector plays a significant role in development, but Dr. Jimmy Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute, says this is not reflected in official development assistance—which contributes less than 0.25 percent to livestock.

Jimmy Smith visited Australia between April 3 and April 7, as the last leg of a global trip. In each country, he pushed for greater ODA toward livestock sectors in the developing world. During his stay, Smith discussed his thoughts with Devex. Continue reading

The water ‘hoofprints’ of livestock products: They’re not what you think (and they vary enormously, besides)
Animal Production / Article / Australia / Environment / Livestock-Water / Water

The water ‘hoofprints’ of livestock products: They’re not what you think (and they vary enormously, besides)

Brad Ridoutt, a principal research scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency and an international leader in the field of life cycle assessment, which he applies to agricultural production, food systems and sustainable healthy diets, has an interesting comment on livestock water ‘hoofprints’ which makes up part of a longer article of his, An update on water footprints, posted on Tara Garnett’s Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) site on 7 Feb 2016. Continue reading

Agriculture / Article / Australia / BecA / Central Africa / East Africa / Goats / ILRI / Research / Sweden

African biosciences research critical for transforming African smallholder agriculture

Gity Behrevan during the BecA-ILRI-Sweden partnership review in Nairobi, November 2013 (photo credit: BecA-ILRI Hub/Tim Hall). ‘Biosciences research could transform Africa’s agriculture and lead to food and nutrition security, but little is being done locally to support its funding, experts say. ‘Researchers and policymakers who attended a review meeting of the Biosciences eastern and central … Continue reading

Australia / Drought / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / East Africa / Event / ILRI / ILRIComms / Insurance / Kenya / Launch / PIL / UK

Of cows, camels and ‘charity insurance’ on Kenya’s Somali frontier–The Economist

Insuring animals who range with semi-nomadic herders across some of the harshest terrain on earth had defeated all previous efforts. Eventually he came across the work of a Kenyan economist, Andrew Mude of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), based in Nairobi. Mr Mude has developed an insurance model that uses satellite images to assess the impact of drought on the vegetation that camels, cows and goats need to survive. . . . Continue reading

Australia / Drought / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / East Africa / Event / ILRI / ILRIComms / Insurance / Kenya / Launch / Pastoralism / PIL / UK / USA

Shelter from the storm (literally): As remote herders get drought-related insurance payments, the heaven’s open

Livestock market in Wajir, where Kenya’s remote, never-before-insured livestock herders are getting their first protection from drought (photo credit: ILRI/Riccardo Gangale). ‘It was almost inevitable that the day chosen to make the first drought insurance payments in Wajir, in the arid north-east of Kenya, would be the same day the rains came. ‘Herders who lost sheep, cattle … Continue reading