Andy Jarvis, of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, makes a presentation on ecosystem services in Colombia (photo credit: CIAT’s Neil Palmer). Andy Jarvis, who leads a Decision and Policy Analysis Program and runs a ‘Linking Markets to Farmers’ blog at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), based in Colombia, blogged yesterday about an … Continue reading
Throughout the world and over centuries, small-scale livestock keepers and pastoralists have developed animal breeds that are well suited to their local conditions. These breeds are hardy and disease-resistant; they can survive on little water and scant vegetation. They can continue producing meat and milk in areas where modern, imported breeds succumb without expensive housing, … Continue reading
The future for livestock farmers could be pretty bleak if we believe everything we read in the press. Is meat really going to give you cancer? Is producing beef wrecking the rainforests and the planet? Are farting cows really a major contributor to climate change? Will millions starve if we don’t all become vegetarians? A … Continue reading
An interesting paper has appeared this week, published in the science journal Food Policy. It reviews evidence of the impacts of research conducted since 2000 by 15 centres belonging to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), one of which is the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), based in Africa. Below is a glossary … Continue reading
This working paper by Berhanu Gebremedhin, Gebremedhin Woldewahid, Yigzaw Dessalegn, Tilahun Gebey and Worku Teka on Sustainable land management through market oriented commodity development: Case studies from Ethiopia was released on 30 August, 2010. Land degradation has been identified as severe environmental problem in Ethiopia, especially since the early 1970s. Because there is significant degradation … Continue reading
Goat for sale in a market in Nigeria (photo by ILRI/Mann). ‘. . . In Ontario agriculture, there’s no question: 2010 is the Year of the Goat. ‘Ontario farmers are catching up with the rest of the world by discovering the virtues of goats as livestock. The province has long had a strong livestock sector, … Continue reading
European Union health regulators in July cleared the United Arab Emirates to become the first major exporter of camel milk products to the 27-nation bloc. If onsite inspections and other EU tests pass muster, the first batches of powdered camel milk could be heading to European shelves next year — and at some point possibly … Continue reading
This working paper by Solomon Gizaw, Azage Tegegne, Berhanu Gebremedhin and Dirk Hoekstra on Sheep and goat production and marketing systems in Ethiopia: characteristics and strategies for improvement was released on 12 August, 2010. Ethiopia is home for a large and diverse livestock resources and favourable production environments. The vast majority of the rural population’s … Continue reading
This is report is one of a series of Working Papers prepared for the Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative (PPLPI). The purpose of these papers is to explore issues related to livestock development in the context of poverty alleviation. Read full paper (FAO) Continue reading
First pulses, now milk. The common household is compelled to give up on its easy sources of protein. In this issue of ‘Down to Earth’, Ravleen Kaur found that rise in fodder prices, not rise in demand, is pushing up the cost of milk in India. Why is the fodder so expensive? According to Kaul: … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 