A cow in India eats the wastes of crop production after the grain has been harvested (photo by ILRI / Mann). In a new book, Meat: A Benign Extravagance, Simon Fairlie shows we should not be arguing against all meat eating, but against the current farming model. Fairlie, says Guardian writer George Monbiot, ‘demonstrates that … Continue reading
Category Archives: Livestock Systems
Animal Health / Animal Production / Climate Change / Emerging Diseases / Livestock Systems / Zoonotic Diseases
OIE examines links between animal production, climate change and emerging diseases
The detection of links between animal production systems around the world, climate change and the epidemiological evolution of animal diseases was the focus of a meeting organised by the OIE with experts from several continents. “The experts confirmed that there are correlations between the various factors linking animal production systems, human influence on the environment, … Continue reading
Agriculture in Africa is changing rapidly
WINDHOEK – “Agriculture in Africa is changing rapidly,” says Mario Herrero, a researcher working in Nairobi, Kenya for the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Herrero was addressing participants in a session on livestock in a changing climate in Windhoek, Namibia, at the annual regional dialogue on food security. Herrero and his colleagues use scenario analysis … Continue reading
Feeding the world without levelling the forest
Romosinuano cattle grazing in South America (picture credit: ILRI/Edwin Perez) A July 2010 article in the leading science journal Nature highlights the gains Brazil is making in its agricultural productivity. ‘With its plentiful sun, water and land, Brazil is quickly surpassing other countries in food production and exports. But can it continue to make agricultural … Continue reading
Political patronage and peasant interests: The case of the livestock sector
A fascinating discussion by David Leonard and colleagues on patronage issues for the rural poor appears in the May 2010 issue of Development and Change. The authors ask: Is political patronage still relevant to policymaking for the rural poor, and especially livestock producers, in today’s developing world? ‘In this article, we argue that the nature of patronage … Continue reading
Large-scale American livestock farmers and animal rights activists agree to compromise
‘Concessions by farmers in this state [Ohio] to sharply restrict the close confinement of hens, hogs and veal calves are the latest sign that so-called factory farming — a staple of modern agriculture that is seen by critics as inhumane and a threat to the environment and health — is on the verge of significant … Continue reading
Focus on … livestock and climate change
Worldwide, the livestock sector is growing faster than any other agricultural sub-sector, providing livelihoods for around 1.3 billion people and contributing about 40 percent to global agricultural output. In poor countries, livestock are also a source of renewable energy and fertiliser. However, the livestock sector accounts for a significant proportion of the carbon dioxide, nitrous … Continue reading
Livestock input supply and service provision in Ethiopia: challenges and opportunities for market-oriented development
This working paper by Azage Tegegne, Berhanu Gebremedhin and Dirk Hoekstra on Livestock input supply and service provision in Ethiopia: challenges and opportunities for market-oriented development was released on 23 June, 2010 Livestock production in Ethiopia has, for long, remained subsistence with limited market-orientation and poor institutional support. Producing for the market requires re-orientation of … Continue reading
Monitoring rangeland health: A guide for pastoralist communities in Eastern Africa
Funded by USAID-East Africa, this guide is written for people who want to design and implement a simple rangeland monitoring programme in eastern Africa. The guide outlines a series of steps that will enable community members and other land managers to decide what, where, when, and how to monitor, as well as how to interpret … Continue reading
Future directions for FAO’s work in the livestock sector
This week’s meeting of the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) includes a discussion on the livestock sector, and its overall ‘governance.’ The background paper for COAG argues that “the livestock sector plays a crucial role in the provision of global public goods and services. There are opportunities to alleviate many of the risks associated with … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 