‘Livestock Matter(s)’ provides a round-up of livestock development news, publications, presentations, images and upcoming events from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and its partners. Continue reading
Category Archives: ILRI
Animal Breeding / Animal Production / Animal Products / AVCD / Cattle / Dairying / East Africa / Kenya / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKFISH / PIL / Project / Value Chains
Easing bottlenecks to uptake of dairy farming in western Kenya
Through the recently launched Feed the Future Kenya Accelerating Value Chain Development (AVCD) Program, ILRI has partnered with county governments and other actors to promote dairy production in western Kenya. Continue reading
Ephraim Mukisira appointed chair of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa board
Ephraim Mukisira, a distinguished agricultural researcher and former director (2005–2014) of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), now the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, has been appointed chair of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Board of Directors. Continue reading
NEWS HACK: Our (very) foreign food plate | China’s exploding soybean futures | Kenya’s northern frontier push
NEWS HACK: Our (very) foreign food plate | China’s exploding soybean futures | Kenya’s northern frontier push Continue reading
Animal Feeding / Article / BecA / Cattle / East Africa / Feeds / ILRI / Kenya
Brachiaria: The ‘wonder grass’ that could transform African dairy
Sourcing fodder poses a big headache to many dairy farmers. Brachiaria, a grass repatriated to Africa from Brazil, is good for grazing, can be baled as hay, and increases milk production. Continue reading
Article / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Pastoralism / Rangelands / SLS / Vulnerability
African livestock and agriculture departments promote new Kenya Livestock Insurance Programme (KLIP)
Vincent Ngari and Richard Githaiga of the Departments of Livestock and Agriculture, while making presentations during the Technical Workshop on Agriculture Index Insurance at the College of Insurance, Nairobi, on Friday, advised farmers to take up the new Kenya Livestock Insurance Programme (KLIP). Continue reading
ACGG / Animal Breeding / Article / Chickens / Ethiopia / Film and video / Genetics / ILRI / Interview / LiveGene / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKFISH / Nigeria / Opinion piece / Poultry / Pro-Poor Livestock / Tanzania / Women
Why Melinda and Bill Gates are betting big on chickens (hint: ‘the ATM of the poor’)
Our foundation is betting on chickens. Alongside partners throughout sub-Saharan Africa, we are working to create sustainable market systems for poultry. It’s especially important for these systems to make sure farmers can buy birds that have been properly vaccinated and are well suited to the local growing conditions. Our goal: to eventually help 30 percent of the rural families in sub-Saharan Africa raise improved breeds of vaccinated chickens, up from just 5 percent now. . . . Continue reading
Climate Change / Communications / Directorate / Environment / Food Security / Human Health / Knowledge and Information / Livelihoods / Livestock Systems / Opinion piece / Pastoralism / Pro-Poor Livestock
On making the livestock sector more efficient, equitable and sustainable–Francois Le Gall, Livestock Global Alliance
The following opinion piece by World Bank livestock advisor François Le Gall was published last week on the launch of an advocacy brief by an alliance of leading organizations in global livestock issues. Chaired by Le Gall, the Livestock Global Alliance aims to bring the often overlooked livestock sector to the forefront of solutions to global development challenges such as food security, health, economic growth and climate change. Continue reading
Out of Africa genetics: How the giraffe got its long neck (and other biological curiosities and exuberances)
Morris Agaba’s newest passion is the molecular genetics of the giraffe, specifically the genes responsible for the animal’s impossibly long neck and legs—and the highly adaptive cardiovascular system this animal has evolved to manage its formidable biological obstacles. Continue reading
Article / CCAFS / Climate Change / East Africa / Environment / Event report / ILRI / Kenya / SLS / Uganda
Local greenhouse gas estimates needed for local adaptation to climate change, say Kenya and Uganda
On 3–4 May 2016, policymakers from climate change departments of Kenya and Uganda met with scientists from CCAFS and ILRI for discussions on development of regional greenhouse gas inventories. Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 