The Executive Secretary of IGAD, Eng. Mahboub Maalim, underscored the central role that the livestock sector is playing in delivering IGAD’s revitalised agenda of regional economic integration. He further commended the IGAD Livestock Policy Initiative for its progress as the secretariat’s de facto livestock arm, in forging regional cooperation and harmonisation. Speaking in a meeting … Continue reading
Category Archives: Livestock Systems
Climate change threatens region’s most traded crops
Maize and beans, East Africa’s most traded and consumed commodities, are being threatened by climate changes. A new study published in the peer-review journal on Agricultural Systems, projects that climate change will have highly variable impacts on East Africa’s vital maize and bean harvests over the next two to four decades. This is presenting growers … Continue reading
The methane makers
The man behind one of the most influential reports on climate change, Lord Stern, has highlighted the impact meat production has on greenhouse gas emissions. Part of it comes through methane made by the animals as they digest food. So which farm animals expel the most methane? A diet that relies heavily on meat production … Continue reading
Kenya’s first test tube calf
Three years after Kenya got its first test-tube babies, the Daily Nation can reveal another first from the world of test tubes – a healthy calf. The calf, which the Daily Nation has named Bully, is one of two test tube calves born three weeks ago in an experiment by veterinary scientists from the University … Continue reading
Cattle / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Research
In Kenya, better cows for better health
A parasite researcher in NYU is hoping totackle African Sleeping Sickness by creating genetically enhanced cows that cannot catch or transmit the disease. She’s been planning the project since 2006, when she attended a workshop in Nairobi. At the meeting, local farmers explained how they need cattle to survive. Most of them can’t afford to … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Climate Change / Crop-Livestock / Drought / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / ECF / Environment / Food Security / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Research / Vulnerability
Livestock research addresses issues underlying the pastoral crisis in the Horn of Africa
Things Fall Apart Things have quickly fallen apart in this particular drought in the Horn’s vast drylands because of a toxic mix of underlying factors. Land Use Among the things not being redressed are land-use policies and practices that fail to account for population increases and thus are restricting herders to ever smaller, drier and … Continue reading
‘60 Minutes’ features ILRI research in the Masai Mara
The work of ecologist Robin Reid, who spent 15 years conducting pastoral research at the Nairobi headquarters of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is featured in a current segment of the American television program ‘60 Minutes’, which aired last Sunday, 3 October 2009. View the segment on the 60 Minutes website here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/60minutes/main13502.shtml Read … Continue reading
Herders hard hit as skies refuse to open up
When Mzee Tompo ole Ngolia drove his emaciated animals to Mt Kenya forest in June, he hoped the desperate move would save them. But for three months, he has watched in anguish as one animal after another succumbs to diseases associated with the harsh climate in the region. When he arrived at Gathiuru forest with … Continue reading
The camel as cow, a cautionary tale
Putting aside for the moment the advisability of trying to make a living milking camels, you would not think it a particularly difficult business. But you would be wrong. The camels grazing outside of Den Bosch may look happy enough. But milking them is another story; moody camels are known to spit and kick, and … Continue reading
Classifying livestock production systems for targeting agricultural research and development in a rapidly changing world
This Discussion paper by Notenbaert A., Herrero M., Kruska R., You L., Wood S., Thornton P., Omolo A. on Classifying livestock production systems for targeting agricultural research and development in a rapidly changing world was released on 15 September, 2009. A myriad of agricultural and livestock production systems co-exist in the developing countries. Agricultural research … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 