Category Archives: Livestock

Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Animal Feeding / Animal Health / Animal Production / Food Security / Livestock / Research

The future of hunger: How animal science supports global food security

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In the past few weeks, Madeline McCurry-Schmidt has published a series of short pieces exploring ways that animal scientists can help feed the world’s growing population. Published on the American Society of Animal Science ‘Taking Stock’ blog, the five articles covered: Part 1 – explored the coming food crisis from a livestock perspective Part 2 … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / Climate Change / Drought / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / East Africa / Environment / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / Pastoralism / Project / Research

Coping with drought: Assessing the impacts of livestock insurance in Kenya

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In January 2010 the index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) pilot project was launched in Marsabit District of northern Kenya as an effort to help pastoralists manage drought risk, and its pernicious ex ante and ex post effects. A Brief from the I4 Index Insurance Innovation Initiative reports results based on the impact of insurance on households’ … Continue reading →

Livestock

Royal Veterinary College launches new postgraduate certificate in intensive livestock health and production

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The Royal Veterinary College, of the University of London, is launching a Postgraduate Certificate in Intensive Livestock Health and Production, due to commence in September 2012. This is a new part-time blended, distance-learning course that will be of interest to those working within the agri-food sector and will promote the development of advanced level skills … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Animal Production / Animal Products / Cattle / East Africa / Ethiopia / ILRI / IPMS / Livestock / Markets / Project / Research

IPMS project updates shared with steering committee

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The Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) project held its semi annual steering committee meeting on April 17, 2012 in Addis Ababa. Representatives from the Oromia, SNNP and Tigray bureau’s of agriculture/research; IPMS rural development officers; CIDA representatives; and IPMS headquarters staff attended. Iain Wright chaired the meeting. The main agenda of the day was … Continue reading →

Animal Production / Animal Products / Cattle / East Africa / Ethiopia / Film and video / IPMS / Livestock / Markets / Value Chains

An innovation story: Livestock fattening in Metema, Ethiopia

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This innovation story narrates the experience of the Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) project on livestock fattening in Ethiopia. The video documents how a 2005 alliance between the local government office of agriculture, the IPMS project, and local livestock farmers and traders in western Ethiopia took advantage of livestock market opportunities in neighbouring Sudan. … Continue reading →

CCAFS / Climate Change / Farming Systems / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Report

Small scale livestock farming and climatic variability focus of VSF report

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As part of a development education/awareness programme in Europe, Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Europa and its partners recently carried out a study on the importance of Small Scale Livestock Farming in the context of climate variability. Part of a ‘campaign’ to sensitize and mobilize people in favour of small scale livestock farming, the study “shows that … Continue reading →

A4NH / Canada / East Africa / Epidemiology / Event report / Farming Systems / Food Security / Geodata / ICT / Livestock / Poultry / RVF / Seeds / Uganda / Zambia / Zimbabwe

New consortium to investigate environmental changes spreading diseases between animals and people in Africa

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Malawi crop-and-livestock farmer (photo credit: ILRI/Susan MacMillan). One of the drivers of disease in Africa, a continent with a particularly heavy disease burden, are environmental changes that help to spread infectious pathogens between animals (both wild and domestic) and people. That is why the start of a new research program, in which the International Livestock … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / East Africa / Kenya / Livestock / Markets / Pastoralism / Value Chains

Learning route on innovative livestock marketing in Kenya

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Participants in a ‘learning route’ on Innovative Livestock Marketing just completed their trip through Kenya. Organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the PROCASUR Corporation, the route is a participatory practitioner-to-practitioner training to increase awareness about channels and strategies to diversify livestock production and marketing. Read stories from the route … How … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Animal Health / Animal Production / Livestock

GALVmed ‘Livestock 2012’ e-discussion – Ways to improve livestock development in Africa

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GALVmed – the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines – just published an ‘Impetus Strategy Paper’ that  puts forward ideas on the directions Africa’s livestock sector needs to take to maximise prospects for  African livestock farmers, based on evidence and opinion from Sub Saharan Africa. To validate and extend the discussions, GALVmed has set up … Continue reading →

Animal Products / Dairying / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event report / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Research

East Africa Dairy Development – Tackling the Ethiopian challenge and the ‘white revolution’

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Extending a project into a new phase is always a perilous exercise. The East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project is (re-) learning this lesson. In the stakeholder consultation workshop that took place from 27 to 29 February, the project team sought feedback from participants regarding initial ideas for the extension of the program (a so-called … Continue reading →