Dairy development institutions in East Africa

Posted on 24 Jan 2011 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

This publication from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is the first report of studies on three national dairy development institutions in East Africa – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The composition, role, structure, shortcomings and future prospects of each national dairy institution are reviewed in order to provide readers with insights as to how to … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Animal Production / Climate Change / Drought / Environment / Food Security / Kenya / Uganda

World hunger best cured by small-scale agriculture: report

Posted on 13 Jan 2011 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

A move from industrial farming towards local food projects is our healthiest, most sustainable choice, says Worldwatch Institute The key to alleviating world hunger, poverty and combating climate change may lie in fresh, small-scale approaches to agriculture, according to a report from the Worldwatch Institute. The US-based institute’s annual State of the World report, published … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Products / Dairying / East Africa / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / Uganda

Computers serving Ugandan cows

Posted on 20 Dec 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

A computer programme for feeding dairy cows has won the top prize in the 2009-2010 Africa-wide science competition held by CTA together with partner organisations. The Endiisa Decision Support Tool was developed by a team of scientists led by the National Livestock Resources Research Institute of Uganda. Team leader Dr Sarah Mubiru said the software … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Books and chapters / East Africa / Kenya / Research / Tanzania / Uganda

‘New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa’ launched by five East African heads of state

Posted on 3 Dec 2010 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

The 12th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State of the East African Community is taking place today, 3 December 2010, at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania. President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and current chairman of the summit, as well as presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, … Continue reading →

Africa / Asia / Biodiversity / CGIAR / Genebank / Indigenous Breeds / Latin America / Uganda / Vietnam

At the UN biodiversity meeting in Japan this week: Should endangered livestock breeds as well as crop varieties be saved?

Posted on 19 Oct 2010 by Susan MacMillan • 1 Comment

Africa’s native Ankole cattle, in Uganda (photo credit: East African Dairy Development project). Jeremy Cherfas, of Bioversity International, one of 15 centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), headquartered in Rome, summarizes below the importance of conserving animal genetic resources in material the CGIAR is exhibiting at the meeting of the United … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Capacity Strengthening / Central Africa / Disease Control / East Africa / Emerging Diseases / Research / Uganda / Zoonotic Diseases

Makerere-North Dakota to tackle zoonoses and vector-borne diseases in Eastern and Central Africa

Posted on 18 Sep 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Under a new initiative by the United States Agency for International Development and Higher Education for Development, 11 innovative new partnerships between 22 universities in Africa and the United States have each been awarded up to US$1.1 million to address food security and other issues in Africa. These partnerships will maximize the resources of US … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Feeding / East Africa / Forages / ILRI / Livestock / Uganda

Scientists improving pasture content

Posted on 11 Aug 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Better days are dawning for farmers faced with problems of pasture for their livestock, now that scientists majoring in crop production research are improving on the nutritional content of pasture here. The scientists from the National Crop Resources Research Institute at Namulonge Department of Forage Research Programme are currently conducting research on various types of … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Disease Control / East Africa / Livestock / Uganda / Vaccines

Uganda to manufacture poultry and animal drugs

Posted on 16 Jul 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Kampala — Uganda is set to start manufacturing poultry and animal drugs. This was announced at the commissioning of the construction of the veterinary pharmaceutical plant in Namanve last Thursday. The plant, which is estimated to cost $15m (about sh600m) will be carried out in three phases. Dr. Stephen Birungi, the managing director Farm Support … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / East Africa / Livestock / Uganda

Animal diseases on the rise in Uganda: Audit exposes the vices

Posted on 3 Jun 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Delays to report the outbreak of livestock diseases has contributed to increased disease prevalence countrywide. The effects of these range from loss of household income, increase of prices of animals and animal products, loss of revenue from exports and total misery. A report on the prevention and control of livestock health, and entomology (study of … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Asia / Crop-Livestock / Livestock / Research / Uganda

The future of agricultural research for development

Posted on 13 May 2010 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

There is no doubt that in the last 50 years, agricultural science has helped to overcome the threat of famine for billions of people. But a billion remain undernourished and the spectre of poverty remains. With climate change, rising food prices and a burgeoning global population, the demands on agriculture to become more efficient and … Continue reading →