Tropical farming the climate-friendly way

Posted on 14 Sep 2010 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Changing tropical farming methods could cut emissions of methane and carbon dioxide by up to 417 Mt of carbon dioxide-equivalent by 2030, around 12% of livestock-related worldwide emissions of the greenhouse gases. That’s according to a team from Copenhagen and Kenya, who believe that the most likely levels of emissions cuts could be worth $1.3 … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Feeding / Asia / Climate Change / ILRI / Latin America / Livestock

Greener pastures and better breeds could reduce carbon ‘hoofprint’

Posted on 13 Sep 2010 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

A new study by the International Livestock Research Institute finds reductions in greenhouse gases could be worth $1 billion dollars to poor livestock farmers if they could sell saved carbon on international markets Greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock operations in tropical countries—a major contributor to climate change—could be cut significantly by changing diets and … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / Climate Change / Drought / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Pastoralism

Coping with drought – livestock insurance

Posted on 7 Sep 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

In Kenya, the International Livestock Research Institute, working with partner organisations, has developed an insurance scheme for livestock farmers. The insurance enables farmers to protect their livelihood against the risk of drought. It works through satellite images, which can be used to measure the amount of grazing available in areas covered under the scheme. If … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Disease Control / East Africa / ECF / Livestock / Tanzania / Vaccines

Official approval for East Coast fever vaccine

Posted on 6 Sep 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

A vaccine against East Coast fever – a disease which kills over 1 million cattle every year – has recently been officially registered in Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi, with Uganda also close to completing registration. This opens the way for private sector companies to take on vaccination delivery as a profit-making business. But how much … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / Ethiopia / Livestock / Pastoralism

Ethiopia: Pastoralism against the odds

Posted on 4 Sep 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Pastoralists’ disproportionate contribution to Ethiopia’s economy is belied by their marginalized status and by policy assumptions that they would be better off farming. But those who raise livestock tend to make the most of marginal land, according to experts, and are often proficient at adapting to changing circumstances. “People think that pastoralist production systems are … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Brazil / Cattle / Environment / Food Security / Latin America / Livestock / North America / NRM / Research / Soils / Water / WLE

The miracle of the cerrado

Posted on 2 Sep 2010 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Brazil has revolutionized its own farms. Can it do the same for others? IN A remote corner of Bahia state, in north-eastern Brazil, a vast new farm is springing out of the dry bush. Thirty years ago eucalyptus and pine were planted in this part of the cerrado (Brazil’s savannah). Native shrubs later reclaimed some … Continue reading →

Animal Health / Asia / Disease Control / Livestock / Malaysia / Southeast Asia / Vaccines

Could self-vaccinating cattle cut disease?

Posted on 2 Sep 2010 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Scientists are testing a vaccine that spreads by itself as a solution to a highly infectious buffalo and cattle disease that costs millions of dollars a year. But experts have raised questions about the safety of using such an approach. Read more … (SciDev.net) Continue reading →

Animal Production / Asia / India / Insurance / Livestock / South Asia

Iffco-Tokio, OLRDS in pact for insuring cattle

Posted on 1 Sep 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Iffco-Tokio General Insurance (ITGI), a general insurance providing company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Orissa Livestock Resources Development Society in India. The pact is to implementa the company’s newly launched Pasudhan Bima Yojana on a pilot basis to insure the cattle. Read more … (Business Standard) Continue reading →

Animal Production / Asia / Climate Change / India / Livestock / South Asia

Proper livestock management can reduce global warming – Narayan Hegde

Posted on 31 Aug 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Livestock (cattle) the world over release about 18 per cent of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane through digestive and respiratory systems. Pune-based BAIF Development Research Foundation has published a concept paper taking note of this significant and dangerous contribution to global warming and how to cut down emission of methane by these animals using proper … Continue reading →

Animal Breeding / Asia / Biodiversity / India / Indigenous Breeds / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / South Asia

Genetic documentation battling livestock extinction in India

Posted on 30 Aug 2010 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

With the country’s rich pool of livestock resources facing threat from extinction due to loss of habitat and shortage of green fodder, a unique initiative to retain and register genetic characteristics through documentation has helped in reviving many breed. Read more … (Financial Express) National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources Continue reading →