‘The presence of transboundary animal diseases, and the escalating costs of regulation and meeting export standards, is key to the future of livestock production in Africa . . . and especially meeting the high hopes of the “livestock revolution” . . . . Focusing on the case of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in southern Africa – and … Continue reading
Category Archives: Africa
Africa / Agriculture / Brazil / Latin America
Brazilian interest in Africa: Agriculture’s final frontier?
In this weekly column, Roger Thurow, former foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, describes the interest of Embrapa, the Brazilian agricultural research corporation that engineered a ‘green revolution’ in Brazil, in Africa. ‘. . . In Africa, Embrapa’s scientists are exploring soil and geological conditions that are similar to Brazil’s. . . . Embrapa has … Continue reading
Cow vaccines go vroom
In much of Africa, a herd of cattle is more than just cows. It’s a savings account, protein store, dowry, funeral fund, symbol of wealth, and hedge against drought. For many smallholder farmers, the loss of even a single cow to disease can spell ruin. Yet a grievous number of cattle in sub-Saharan Africa get … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Production / Asia / Environment / ILRI
Industrialized livestock production to increase, despite social implications
Voice of America has published interviews of agricultural systems analyst Philip Thornton and director general Carlos Seré, both of the Africa-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), on the future of livestock production. From the report: ‘. . . A British scientist has published a study Monday that says the 12,000 year-old relationship between humans and … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Production / Animal Products / Environment / Food Safety / Ghana / Livestock / West Africa
Confronting livestock on the streets of Accra
The vision of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to transform Accra, the capital city to a millennium city is laudable and has won accolades from many stakeholders. However one would least expect to find livestock roaming the streets of Accra, in a merry-go-round style, in the official gateway to the country. What is worrying is the … Continue reading
Is Africa’s wildlife being eaten to extinction?
The rapid growth in the global demand for bushmeat is leaving many African species facing the possibility of being eaten out of existence, says Mark Jones. In this week’s Green Room, he calls for western nations to do more to tackle the problem of illegal imports of bushmeat. Read more … (BBC) Continue reading
Africa / Dairying / East Africa / GIS / Kenya / Livelihoods / Rwanda
New milk analyser excites dairy farmers
As demand for high quality and fear for contaminated milk increases, a new technology that could restore the fading confidence in the country’s dairy sector is under way, thanks to advancements in technology. The new milk sampling equipment takes a ‘network approach’ using advanced technology that connects the entire sampling processing system through general pocket … Continue reading
SADC short of meat, dairy products
Though southern African countries under SADC have made progress in livestock production over the past decade, they remain a net importer of meat, milk and eggs. “SADC remains a net importer of these products, which means we still have to do a lot more and there is potential for us to even meet the regional … Continue reading
MSU veterinary medicine research in Africa saves lives, offers hope
The Michigan State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU CVM) is conducting more research in Africa than ever before. And seldom have the potential benefits of our research been so promising. The Summer 2010 issue of the College’s ‘Perspectives’ Magazine highlights some of this research: Dr. John Kaneene, for instance, is steeped in several … Continue reading
Africa / India / South Asia
Report: ‘More poor’ in India than Africa
Girls stand in front of an AIDS awareness poster in West Bengal, India. (Photo credit: ILRI / Mann) ‘Eight Indian states account for more poor people than in the 26 poorest African countries combined, a new measure of global poverty has found. ‘The Indian states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, have 421 million … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 