‘This March, African science ministers resolved that 2011 would be the start of an African decade for science, promising increased research budgets and attempts to use science and technology to drive development. A small, continent-wide research-grant programme, modelled on the European Union’s framework programmes, is in the works, as is a pan-African training network for … Continue reading
Category Archives: Africa
Monitoring rangeland health: A guide for pastoralist communities in Eastern Africa
Funded by USAID-East Africa, this guide is written for people who want to design and implement a simple rangeland monitoring programme in eastern Africa. The guide outlines a series of steps that will enable community members and other land managers to decide what, where, when, and how to monitor, as well as how to interpret … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Health / Disease Control / East Africa / Kenya / Livestock / Vaccines
Kenyan vaccine developer eyes emerging livestock diseases
Kenya’s State-controlled livestock vaccine developer is preparing to tap into East Africa’s common market to shore up income as it targets emerging diseases. The Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Unit (Kevevapi), which was under Agriculture has now been transferred to the Livestock Development ministry. Read more … (Business Daily) Continue reading
Africa / Animal Production / East Africa / Kenya / Livestock / Trade
Electronic tagging of livestock seen as weapon against cattle rustling
Electronic tagging of livestock could prove a masterstroke in the fight against cattle rustling and set the stage for Kenya to resume beef exports to the European Union. Read more … (Business Daily) Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Biotechnology / CGIAR / ILRI / Research / Vaccines / Women
Clinton cites CGIAR research for women and livestock as targets of US aid for agriculture
Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of State, this week (16 June 2010) announced that this year’s World Food Prize would be bestowed on leaders of two leading non-governmental humanitarian organizations focusing on reducing hunger and poverty — Jo Luck, President of Heifer International, and David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World. In her speech, … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Asia / Environment / Food Security / Latin America / NRM / WLE
New study says Green Revolution reduced hunger–and carbon emissions
‘The Green Revolution of the 1960s raised crop yields and cut hunger – and also saved decades worth of greenhouse gas emissions, a study concludes. ‘US researchers found cumulative global emissions since 1850 would have been one third as much again without the Green Revolution’s higher yields. ‘Although modern farming uses more energy and chemicals, … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Diseases / Disease Control / East Africa / ECF / Tanzania / Vaccines
East Coast fever vaccine registered in Tanzania
In May, an East Coast fever (ECF) vaccine was registered by GALVmed in Tanzania. ECF is a tick transmitted disease which kills a million cattle every year and devastates the livelihood of those who depend on livestock for survival. Registration of the ECF vaccine is central to safety and efficacy and to securing the sustainability … Continue reading
Ten fodder fact sheets for Ethiopia
The IFAD-funded ‘fodder adoption project’ at ILRI recently produced a series of fact sheets for major fodder plants in Ethiopia. These are available in English, Oromiffa and Amharic. Read more … (Fodder Adoption news) Continue reading
Carbon-Friendly beef? Look to Africa, experts say
Studies in Africa reveal that raising livestock through pastoralism is ‘far more’ ecological than crop production Read more … (Solve Climate Blog) Continue reading
Poor livestock disease monitoring confines Kenyan herders to poverty
Livestock diseases have put Kenya under siege. This sorry state of affairs is a creation of a combination of factors that have complicated animal and disease surveillance in “an agricultural country” where herders, pastoralists, and ranches remain vulnerable, say experts. Read more … (Business Daily) Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 