Trading livestock domestically and regionally, rather than globally, offers the best route out of poverty for southern Africa, according to recent research from the STEPS Centre based at IDS. The work, funded by the Wellcome Trust’s Livestock for Life programme, looked at the beef industry in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and questioned whether … Continue reading
Category Archives: Livestock
Improved disease prevention in animal health could save billions of dollars
According to FAO, Governments could save billions of dollars by stepping up the prevention and control of high impact animal diseases, some of which pose a direct threat to human health. Many other animal diseases have a negative impact on people’s livelihoods. Pandemic influenza viruses H5N1 and H1N1, foot-and-mouth disease, Rift Valley fever, and rabies are … Continue reading
Using health ecology to manage emerging diseases in Zimbabwe
Since 2008, the Parsel project has been monitoring cattle and wild hoofed animal movements in the Zimbabwe National Park. The aim is to understand and limit the spread of certain diseases. The results obtained so far are so encouraging that the protocol has just been extended to South Africa and Mozambique. Read more … (CIRAD) Continue reading
Africa / Animal Feeding / East Africa / Forages / ILRI / Livestock / Uganda
Scientists improving pasture content
Better days are dawning for farmers faced with problems of pasture for their livestock, now that scientists majoring in crop production research are improving on the nutritional content of pasture here. The scientists from the National Crop Resources Research Institute at Namulonge Department of Forage Research Programme are currently conducting research on various types of … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Production / Biodiversity / Cattle / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / Livestock
Imported cattle threaten African livestock diversity
Even though locally-adapted, diversified agriculture and farming is a key component of both food security today and in a warmer more climate-stressed future, the Big Ag trend is still towards less crop diversity and more uniformity. Here’s a perfect example of the downside of that. Read more … (Treehugger) Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Farming Systems / Fish / ILRI / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Research
Can smallholder farmers feed a growing Africa?—Yes, under the right conditions
Peter Karanja sells eggs in Nairobi (credit: ILRI / Mann) Intense proposal development work by the 15 centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and their many research partners is coming down to the wire this month, with the deadline for submitting these proposals, 1 September 2010, fast approaching. The proposals are … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Cattle / Climate Change / Environment / Livestock
Adapting agriculture to climate change
Adapting agriculture to climate change should have twin purposes: adapting to prevent further damage to the environment, and adapting to produce food despite the impact of climate change. The increasing intensity and frequency of storms, flooding and draught have great impact on agriculture and, therefore, on the food supply. The uncertainties associated with climate change … Continue reading
Help shape the CGIAR’s livestock and fish research mega program
The CGIAR is currently undergoing a major change process – the largest in its 39 year history. The new CGIAR approach is being operationalized through a number of ‘Mega Programs’, each of which is currently being developed by several Centers working closely together. One of the first Mega Programs is focused on improving the productivity … Continue reading
Animal Feeding / Fodder / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Pastoralism
Cactus could feed East African livestock, say scientists
A succulent, wild-growing cactus that has been widely dismissed as a noxious weed could sustain African livestock during drought, according to scientists at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). A paper by John Kang’ara and Josiah Gitari, animal nutritionists at KARI, concludes that Opuntia species — the prickly pear or paddle cacti — have extreme … Continue reading
WSU takes big role in fighting animal diseases
Researchers at Washington State University are working to prevent diseases from moving from animals to humans, and they will soon have a new state-of-the-art facility to help them. The Pullman school broke ground Friday 25 June on the $35 million headquarters for its new School for Global Animal Health. The building was funded with a … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 