A4NH / Agri-Health / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / Human Health / ILRI / Kenya / Zoonotic Diseases

As livestock farming intensifies in poor countries, so can livestock–and livestock-to-human–diseases

The health of people and their farm animals in Kenya and other developing countries are closely linked (photo credit: ILRI/Charlie Pye-Smith). ‘While livestock contribute about 40 per cent of the value of agriculture and forms a crucial part of household wealth [in Kenya and many other developing countries], experts now say keeping animals is spreading … Continue reading

Animal Breeding / BecA / Biodiversity / Data / East Africa / Ethiopia / Goats / LIVESTOCKFISH

ILRI-BecA goat project harnessing ODK on smartphones for data collection and analysis

To harness genetic diversity to improve goat productivity in Africa, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is testing the open data kit (ODK) in Ethiopia as a tool to collect baseline data on production systems and phenotypic characterization of goats. It will also be tested in Cameroon. The project is led by the Biosciences eastern … Continue reading

Agriculture / Biodiversity / CCAFS / Climate Change / Crop-Livestock / Launch

ReFARM database explores the role of diversification for resilient agricultural systems

Overcoming the threats to agriculture and food security in a changing climate requires a strong scientific evidence base to both help smallholder farmers choose resilient strategies and to guide development policy and investments. Building on a Bioversity and CCAFS systematic review of the role of diversification in agricultural systems, the Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research is … Continue reading

Agriculture / Capacity Strengthening / French / Gambia / Guinea / Innovation Systems / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Mali / Senegal / West Africa

ILRI publie un guide pour l’animation, le suivi et l’évaluation des plateformes d’innovation pour la gestion du bétail endémique

Un manuel intitulé les «Directives pour les plateformes d’Innovation: Facilitation, suivi et evaluation» a été publié par l’Institut international de recherche sur le bétail (ILRI) en mars 2013, en français comme en anglais. Ce manuel est le fruit du travail de  Pamela Pali et Kees Swaans, en collaboration avec Jemimah Njuki, Ranjitha Puskur, Abdou Fall, Nancy Johnson, Ndèye Djigal et … Continue reading

Agriculture / Capacity Strengthening / Gambia / Guinea / Indigenous Breeds / Innovation Systems / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Mali / Senegal / West Africa

Innovation platform facilitation and assessment the focus of guidelines from ILRI

A manual by Pamela Pali and Kees Swaans on ‘Guidelines for innovation platforms: Facilitation, monitoring and evaluation’ was recently published by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Innovation platforms have recently gained ground as a mechanism to help stimulate and support multi stakeholder collaboration in agricultural research for development. Generally, they are a mechanism to enhance communication … Continue reading

CCAFS / Climate Change / Event / Food Security / Pastoralism / Vulnerability

Hunger-nutrition-climate nexus: Bringing the conversation down to earth

Former US Vice President Al Gore speaking at the Hunger, Nutrition, Climate Justice Conference in Dublin, 16 Apr 2013. CGIAR CEO Frank Rijsberman (second from left) looks on. Read more about this event. Photo credit: Vanessa Meadu/CCAFS. ‘What happens when some of the world’s thought leaders in hunger, nutrition and climate justice meet with innovators working … Continue reading

A4NH / Agri-Health / Article / Disease Control / East Africa / Emerging Diseases / Food Safety / Human Health / ILRI / Interview / Kenya / Nutrition / Policy / Report / Zoonotic Diseases

Keeping cows in the city, chickens under the bed: ‘The Atlantic’ magazine explores Africa’s urbanization

Butcher shop in a slum in Kawangare, Nairobi, Kenya (picture on Flickr by Brad Ruggles). It’s not only people who are rapidly urbanizing in Africa: people migrating from rural areas are bringing their livelihoods with them, which in Africa largely means their cattle, goats, sheep, chickens and pigs. A scientific report from researchers based in … Continue reading

Animal Production / Cattle / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Uganda / WLE

Corralling cattle to improve the productivity of pasture lands affected by termites

Researchers from the Department of Animal Science in Makerere University were excited, and with good reason, as they surveyed pasture land that had been corralled off in Nakosongala in the cattle corridor of Uganda. The team had been looking at options to improve livestock water productivity (LWP) in the Nile Basin. To their surprise, a … Continue reading

Agriculture / Animal Production / Capacity Strengthening / Crop-Livestock / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event / Extension / HUMIDTROPICS / Innovation Systems / Intensification / IPMS / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Markets / Research / Value Chains

Commodities, innovation and action research in Ethiopia: Livestock live talk at ILRI on 27 March 2013

The Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian Farmers project is coming to an end. IPMS aimed to transform agricultural productivity and rural development in Ethiopia through market-oriented agricultural development. Project staff worked with the Ethiopian Government to try new and innovative approaches and technologies. The team worked to achieve this objective through four main … Continue reading

Dairying / East Africa / ILRI / Launch / LIVESTOCKFISH / Markets / Project / Tanzania / Value Chains

Dairy market hubs giving Tanzanian farmers better access to services given funding boost

Irish Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, signs the guest book at the MoreMikIT office launch in Morogoro, Tanzania, 12 Mar 2013; witnessing the event are ILRI’s Amos Omore and Stuart Worsley (second and third from left) (photo credit: ILRI/Amos Omore). ‘Ireland’s minister of state for Development and Trade Joe Costello earlier this … Continue reading