While a lot of money is being pumped into agriculture in a bid to boost production and alleviate hunger in the world, these efforts are unlikely to succeed without focusing on mixed smallholder farmers, a new study has warned. The study, which puts countries like Kenya––long criticised for neglecting the smallholders––on the spot, says smallholders … Continue reading
Category Archives: Africa
It’s raining, it’s pouring
“It’s so hot!” “Why can’t it stop raining?” “The lightning was terrible” I’m not sure about you but I keep finding myself complaining about the weather. Global warming, Copenhagen, recycling, climate change – it’s like we just keep hearing it over and over again. Remember last year when we turned off the lights for one … Continue reading
Are too many tourists killing Africa’s wildlife?
ILRI’s Research of 2009 is again reported on the ‘Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates to land use changes’. A former project member, Dickson Ole Kaelo, speaking on the importance of conservancies in sustaining the Mara’s wildlife, is quoted saying, “This land is critical to the survival of most resident and migratory wildlife species such as … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / East Africa / Food Security / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock
Kenya: Report says new investments in agriculture likely to fail
A new paper published in Science, an international magazine, warned that billions of dollars promised to fund programmes to boost small-scale agriculture in developing countries are likely to fail in feeding the world’s increasing populations, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), reported here in a statement on Saturday. ILRI said the failure to feed the … Continue reading
Africa / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / East Africa / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / West Africa
Modern and mobile: The future of livestock production in Africa’s drylands
This 2009 book is about the critical role mobile livestock keeping plays in the economic prosperity of Africa’s drylands. Across East and West Africa, an estimated 50 million livestock producers support their families, their communities, and a massive meat, skins and hides industry based on animals that are fed solely on natural dryland pastures. Where … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Health / Disease Control / Livestock / RVF / Vaccines
Dutch develop new vaccines against upcoming Rift Valley Fever
The Central Veterinary Institute in the Netherlands has developed two candidate vaccines to protect animals (and possible also humans) against the Rift Valley fever virus – a virus that can be deadly for ruminants and tends to be moving from Africa to Europe. Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis that primarily affects animals … Continue reading
Africa / Climate Change / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / Livestock / Pastoralism / Trade
African livestock can triumph in the face of climate change
Africa’s livestock producers are bucking a trend, by proving resilient to climate change and generating huge economic benefits for their nations and regions, say researchers in a book published today by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and SOS Sahel. It shows how pastoralism is a major economic player and contributor to many … Continue reading
Africa / Drought / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Pastoralism
Kenya: Insuring pastoralists against increasing risks
The droughts in the Turkana region were less severe when she was growing up, says Laura Letapalel, and pastoralists could still find some grass and water for their animals. Now, she laments, the droughts are longer and there is nothing to eat. Andrew Mude, an economist with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), says drought … Continue reading
Africa and global warming
A group called The Africa Group whose spokes person is Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi has made a demand for USD 30 billion to be granted African countries to tackle environmental damages caused by climate change. According to the plan, the start up funding will span three years from 2010 to 2012 with yearly release of … Continue reading
Improving access to livestock disease prevention in Mozambique
Although avian influenza and H1N1 have dominated the news for the last few years, many other serious diseases can ravage livestock and rural communities. Newcastle disease, which can wipe out entire flocks of chickens and can spread from farm to farm, is especially devastating for rural farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Read more … (Nourishing the … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 