They are huge, bulky and strong! They are disease-tolerant and can survive drought by browsing on leaves on trees that other livestock cannot eat. These are camels! Following severe long droughts that hit northeastern part of Tanzania in the last couple of years, a group of Maasai women of Ketumbeine village in Longido district, Arusha … Continue reading
Insurance is about protection against loss — and so, in many ways, is conservation. The similarities between these two industries mean both could gain from a closer relationship. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) recently announced the trial of an innovative insurance scheme for traditional herders in northern Kenya. But it has been almost impossible … Continue reading
A new multimillion dollar research program by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research aims to alleviate climate-related threats to the food security, livelihoods and environment of people living in the developing world. One of the key intellectual forces behind this initiative has been the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s Jim Hansen. He’ll … Continue reading
The Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development must reset research priorities, says World Food Prize winner Monty Jones. The world’s agricultural scientists have done life-saving work in university laboratories, global research centres and government agencies. Millions of people across the developing world are alive today because of advances that have conquered deadly pathogens, kept … Continue reading
The Marsabit district in rugged northern Kenya is the size of Ireland. It has ten tribes and seven languages but only 160,000 people. The manager of the local branch of Equity Bank says it takes two crunching days of driving his jeep through burning deserts to reach some of his customers. Marsabit depends on cattle, … Continue reading
ceaselessly across some of the harshest environments in the world in search of grazing land are vital for Africa’s economic prosperity. However, their way of life is being undermined by governments, conservationists and large-scale farmers, says a study. Read more … (Mail and Guardian) Continue reading
Kleinbauern in Afrika können ihr Vieh neuerdings gegen Dürren versichern Der Marsabit-Distrikt in Kenia ist nicht unbedingt eine Touristengegend. Es gibt zwar um den verloschenen Vulkan gleichen Namens herum einen Nationalpark mit Löwen, Leoparden, Zebras und Elefanten. Aber das Tiefland am Ufer des Turkana-Sees und an der Grenze zu Äthiopien ist eintönig und flach, steinig … Continue reading
A recent issue of the magazine ‘Rural 21’ is dedicated to livestock and development. Articles include: The livestock challenge Livestock and the MDGs (ILRI paper) Making livestock policy pro-poor Livestock and climate change (ILRI paper) One World, One Health? The role of livestock in African agriculture Continue reading
Pastoralists in parts of the semi-arid eastern region of Isiolo are abandoning their nomadic lifestyles in favour of farming to improve their food security and livelihoods. Successive droughts in arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya have led to livestock deaths, affected pastoralist nutrition and, in places, led to pastoralist drop-outs. Read more (IRIN: Humanitarian news … Continue reading
In the face of reports about the ills livestock generate for the climate, environment and health, a new study published in the December issue of the journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability emphasizes that livestock production in developing and developed countries are very different animals. While rising consumption of meat, milk and eggs is one … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 