Category Archives: Countries

CGIAR integrated systems research for sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong—New book
Agriculture / Books and chapters / Capacity Strengthening / CGIAR / China / Crop-Livestock / Environment / Farming Systems / Humid Tropics / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Impact Assessment / Innovation Systems / Intensification / Laos / Markets / NRM / Participation / PIL / Policy / Report / Soils / Southeast Asia / Thailand / Value Chains / Vietnam

CGIAR integrated systems research for sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong—New book

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The CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics (Humidtropics) was an agricultural research for development program that aimed for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems to improve the livelihoods of farm households. The Central Mekong Action Area was primarily focused on the complex of rice and non-rice farming systems (plus areas with other land uses) in the non-flood-prone lowlands, uplands and highlands. The Action Area covered six countries (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam). Continue reading →

Beef fattening ready for take-off in southern Africa with new financing made available to smallholders
Animal Feeding / Botswana / Cattle / Event report / Feeds / ILRI / Intensification / Malawi / Mozambique / News clipping / PIL / PIM / Pro-Poor Livestock / Scaling / Southern Africa / Tanzania / Value Chains / Zimbabwe

Beef fattening ready for take-off in southern Africa with new financing made available to smallholders

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Rural farmers in Zimbabwe and the whole of Southern Africa are set to receive a major boost in their livestock production through the expected launch of the beef value chain finance initiative this year. The initiative, whose pilot project was successfully undertaken in Swaziland, includes a loan scheme for smallholder farmers who want to take up beef fattening for the market. This came out during the on-going International Conference on Livestock Value Chain and Access to Credit being held in Ezulwini, Swaziland. Continue reading →

Kenya risks losing 18 animal and bird species, and the ecosystem services they provide—Research report
Article / Biodiversity / East Africa / Environment / Geodata / ILRI / Kenya / Pastoralism / Policy / Rangelands / Science paper / SLS / Wildlife

Kenya risks losing 18 animal and bird species, and the ecosystem services they provide—Research report

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A group of scientists led by Dr Joseph Ogutu say Kenya risks losing 18 animal and bird species due to negligence. They include warthogs, lesser kudu, Thomson’s gazelle, eland, oryx, topi, hartebeest, impala, Grévy’s zebra, waterbuck, wildebeest, giraffe, gerenuk, Grant’s gazelle, buffalo, elephant, ostrich and Burchell’s zebra. Continue reading →

As another drought bites the Horn, 12 million face food shortages in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia
Camels / Cattle / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Ethiopia / Food Security / Goats / Kenya / Livelihoods / News clipping / Nutrition / Pastoralism / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Somalia / South Sudan / Uganda / Vulnerability

As another drought bites the Horn, 12 million face food shortages in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia

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With as little as one-quarter of expected rainfall received, widespread drought conditions in the Horn of Africa have intensified since the failure of the October–December rains, FAO said. Areas of greatest concern cover much of Somalia, northeast and coastal Kenya, southeast Ethiopia as well as the Afar region still to recover from El Niño induced drought of 2015/16, and South Sudan, which faces a serious food crisis due to protracted insecurity. Continue reading →

The epidemiological search for Ebola’s hiding places
A4NH / Africa / AHH / Article / Emerging Diseases / Epidemiology / FSZ / ILRI / Pigs / Uganda / Wildlife / Zoonotic Diseases

The epidemiological search for Ebola’s hiding places

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After the recent epidemic, Ebola disappeared. But this relief is only temporary: the virus is hiding somewhere—maybe in forest animals, maybe closer to home. Leigh Cowart joins the hunt. This article was first published by Wellcome on Mosaic and is reproduced here under a Creative Commons licence. Continue reading →

Science: The fuel for human progress—by Bill Gates
Disease Control / France / Human Health / Innovation Systems / Opinion piece / Policy / Poverty / Research / UK

Science: The fuel for human progress—by Bill Gates

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The following remarks are excerpted from an opinion piece written by Bill Gates and published on his Gates Notes blog. ‘The first promise of any good politician is to make people’s lives better, and scientific research leading to innovation is one of the best ways to honor that promise . . . .’ Continue reading →

Tightened rules for use of antibiotics by livestock producers go into effect in the United States
Agri-Health / AMR / Animal Production / Article / Disease Control / Human Health / North America / USA

Tightened rules for use of antibiotics by livestock producers go into effect in the United States

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From the United States comes this good news about a new rule that has gone into effect curtailing use of antibiotics in livestock production with the aim of reducing the rise of antimicrobial resistance to drugs of medical importance. Continue reading →