On this World Food Safety Day (7 June 2020), staff of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) make the case for supporting traditional markets to improve food safety. Continue reading
Category Archives: Vietnam
Are COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases a message from Mother Nature? —Leading Vietnamese media outlet interviews two of Vietnam’s Ecohealth experts
VTV1, the leading Vietnamese state-run media outlet, interviewed Hung Nguyen, regional representative for East and Southeast Asia and senior scientist at ILRI, and Tuyet Hanh Tran, associate professor at the Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH) on the connections between ecosystem disruptions and infectious human diseases. Continue reading
Celebrate World Antibiotic Awareness Week by updating yourself on why health experts are so concerned
This week is World Antibiotic Awareness Week. Get yourself updated with this useful short overview on the rising global problem of antimicrobial resistance by reading this ‘Factbox’ from Thomson Reuters Foundation. Continue reading
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
Bacteria pose bigger risk than chemical contamination of Vietnamese pork—New research
‘Forty eight out of 108 (44 per cent) cut pork meat samples collected at wet markets in Hưng Yên Province were found to contain the disease-causing bacteria Salmonella. . . .
‘The researchers determined that the probability of pork eaters in northern Hưng Yên Province becoming ill with salmonellosis from consuming infected pork in a given year is 18 per cent. . . .. However, this risk can be avoided,” Nguyễn Việt Hùng, representative for East and Southeast Asia and a senior scientist in eco-health and food safety at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) told Việt Nam News. Continue reading
CGIAR integrated systems research for sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong—New book
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
Northwest Vietnam situation analysis starting point for Humidtropics research in Central Mekong
The International Livestock Research Institute recently published a ‘situational analysis of agricultural production and marketing, and natural resources management systems in northwest Vietnam’ for the Humidtropics CGIAR research program. It is a starting point for the program’s work in one of the four geographical ‘Action Area Flagships’ where innovations are tested to meet the challenges of stakeholders. It paints a comprehensive and broad picture of the current systems that are key to tackling the problems faced in the target field sites. Continue reading
New livestock maps pinpoint ‘danger zones’ for possible spread of deadly H7N9 strain of bird flu
A recent paper that maps the global distributions of the world’s major livestock species has already been used to advance understanding of where surveillance efforts should be targeted to prevent the possible spread of a lethal bird flu virus now circulating in poultry populations in China, where it has killed 62 people. The original mapping work, led by Tim Robinson, of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and published at the end of May, was immediately put to practical use in locating large regions in South and Southeast Asia that would suit the new lethal virus. Continue reading
Linking smallholder farmers to markets in Northwest Vietnam
A value chain assessment on four agricultural products in Son La Province of Vietnam provides insights into business models linking smallholder farmers to dynamic markets. These are helping us suggest future Humidtropics research-for-development interventions on policies, institutions and markets. Continue reading
Vietnam’s household livestock farming set for growth
Young water buffalo and rice fields in Mai Chau (an ethnic Thai village), in Hoa Binh Province, northwest Vietnam. Household livestock production is set to become the leading form of livestock production in the country (photo on Flickr by Lon&Queta). ‘Household livestock production should be developed to reach a larger scale and higher professional level, participants … Continue reading