Thandeka Mabuza’s small-scale dairy farm, on the banks of the Olifants River, gives off hardly any of the earthy smell you might expect from a thriving dairy operation. But the lack of manure odour is hardly the only benefit from the farm’s pioneering biogas dairy. By using vats to digest cow dung and then harvesting … Continue reading
Category Archives: Africa
Regional workshop on sustainable management of animal genetic resources in Central and West Africa
FAO, in collaboration with the regional project on sustainable management of endemic ruminant livestock (PROGEBE), organized on 22–25 March 2010, in Dakar, Senegal, a regional workshop on sustainable management of animal genetic resources in West and Central Africa. The workshop was preceded by an electronic forum hosted by DAD-Net West Africa, which took place between … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Diseases / Ghana / Livestock / West Africa
Tsetse fly posing major threat to livestock production in Ghana
The presence of tsetse flies in the Upper West Region is making it difficult for improved breeds of cattle, sheep and pigs to be introduced to farmers in the area. Dr Alfred Tia Sugri, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Livestock, who said this last Friday, indicated that until they were totally … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Health / Disease Control / East Africa / Livestock / Uganda / Vaccines
Makerere to produce vaccines and drugs for livestock
Makerere University is to start an animal institute which will produce vaccines and drugs for livestock and wild animals. The Africa Institute for Strategic Animal Resource Services will also train youth in livestock management. It will promote value addition and develop high market value products from cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and rabbits. to support the … Continue reading
AU-IBAR launches new strategic plan
The African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) recently released a new strategic plan covering 2010-2014. According to the AU-IBAR Director: “The challenges and the changing global environment in which we operate demand new ways of management, organisation and stronger partnerships. This Strategic Plan marks a paradigm shift and a commitment that an energetic, … Continue reading
Mixed crop-livestock farming could help adaptation in Africa
According to new research (see related article), African farms with both crops and livestock could be more resilient to climate change than farms that only grow crops. The research suggests that policy makers should support farmers in making the switch to integrated farming. Read more … (European Commission) Continue reading
Africa / Animal Feeding / Fodder / Livestock / Niger / West Africa
Niger: Livestock herders plan ahead
HAMDALLAYE, Niger, Mar 31, 2010 (IPS) – The cows Djibo Hama looks after belong to someone else, but he is diligent. Anticipating a severe shortage of good grazing in 2010, he secured cattle feed for the 35 that remain. “I have purchased a large quantity of feed for my cattle, with the proceeds from selling … Continue reading
Is an integrated farm more resilient against climate change?
This paper by S. Niggol Seo in the journal ‘Food Policy’ examines whether an integrated farm that owns both crops and livestock is more resilient under global warming than a specialized farm in crops. Using around 9000 farm surveys across Africa, we explore how farmers choose one of the farm types and how the net … Continue reading
Implications of avian flu for economic development in Kenya
Kenya is vulnerable to avian flu given its position along migratory bird routes and proximity to other high risk countries. This raises concern about the effect an outbreak could have on economic development. We use a dynamic computable general equilibrium model of Kenya to simulate potential outbreaks of different severities, durations and geographic spreads. Results … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / CGIAR / Food Security / Research
Are Gates and CGIAR a good mix for Africa?
International agricultural development acquired a significant new player last December when the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — the biggest private foundation in the world, with US$37 billion under its control — announced that it was joining the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). When the Gates Foundation launched its own agricultural programmes a … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 