Category Archives: Africa

Africa / ASSP / CGIAR / East Africa / Ethiopia / HUMIDTROPICS / ILRI / Research

In Ethiopia, collaboration by CGIAR and national partners is delivering integrated development solutions

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Within the wider CGIAR phase 2 portfolio development process, ‘site integration’ and country coordination plans are being developed by CGIAR centres and their partners and stakeholders in 20 developing countries. The aim is to ensure that CGIAR efforts contribute to national, as well as international, priorities and goals and ensure that the CGIAR programs and centres coordinate their efforts in each country. Continue reading →

Ephraim Mukisira appointed chair of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa board
Africa / Agriculture / Article / ILRI / Livestock / Research

Ephraim Mukisira appointed chair of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa board

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Ephraim Mukisira, a distinguished agricultural researcher and former director (2005–2014) of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), now the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, has been appointed chair of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Board of Directors. Continue reading →

Out of Africa genetics: How the giraffe got its long neck (and other biological curiosities and exuberances)
Africa / Article / BecA / Genetics / ILRI / LiveGene / Wildlife

Out of Africa genetics: How the giraffe got its long neck (and other biological curiosities and exuberances)

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Morris Agaba’s newest passion is the molecular genetics of the giraffe, specifically the genes responsible for the animal’s impossibly long neck and legs—and the highly adaptive cardiovascular system this animal has evolved to manage its formidable biological obstacles. Continue reading →

ILRI biosciences hub and vaccine development named global public goods by heads of BMGF and DFID
Africa / Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Article / BecA / Biotechnology / Capacity Strengthening / Disease Control / ECF / ILRI / ILVAC / LIVESTOCKFISH / Opinion piece / Research

ILRI biosciences hub and vaccine development named global public goods by heads of BMGF and DFID

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Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and Nick Hurd, international development minister for Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID), argue in the Guardian’s Global Development blog this month that the world needs to put science at the heart of development. Two of the examples of success that they cite are initiatives of ILRI. Continue reading →

Unpacking transdisciplinary research (the REALLY hard science)
A4NH / Africa / Agri-Health / Animal Diseases / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / Environment / Epidemiology / Event report / FSZ / Human Health / ILRI / Opinion piece / Pests / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research / RVF / Trypanosomiasis / Zoonotic Diseases

Unpacking transdisciplinary research (the REALLY hard science)

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The following excerpt is the beginning of a candid and thoughtful article by Ian Scoones, of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), at Sussex University, about an international symposium, One Health for the Real World: zoonoses, ecosystems and wellbeing, that took place at the Zoological Society of London last week (17–18 Mar 2016). Continue reading →

Brussels roundtable this week on mitigating aflatoxin contamination of food and feed in Africa
Africa / Agri-Health / Animal Feeding / Animal Products / Consumption / Event / Feeds / Food Safety / Human Health

Brussels roundtable this week on mitigating aflatoxin contamination of food and feed in Africa

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PAEPARD [the Platform for Africa-European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development] is organising with the Directorate General Sante of the European Commission and the East African Farmer Federation (EAFF), and in collaboration with the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) and the African Society of Mycotoxicology (ASM), a roundtable meeting of key aflatoxin experts (not only research experts) on the mitigation of aflatoxin in food and feed in Africa on Monday 25th January 2015 in Brussels (by invitation only). Continue reading →

DID YOU MISS IT? Who’s developing African cattle resistant to sleeping sickness—and why it matters—by Tamar Haspel
Africa / Animal Health / Article / Disease Control / Human Health / ILRI / Kenya / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Trypanosomiasis / Zoonotic Diseases

DID YOU MISS IT? Who’s developing African cattle resistant to sleeping sickness—and why it matters—by Tamar Haspel

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In case you missed it, earlier this year, Washington Post food–science columnist Tamar Haspel served up an interesting story in The Plate, a blog of National Geographic’s Future of Food series. Her story’s about a long-term research project’s attempt to develop disease-resistant cattle for African farmers. Continue reading →

Injection of new genetics funding to boost the health and productivity of Africa’s farm animals
Africa / Animal Breeding / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Cattle / Chickens / Climate Change / Genetics / Goats / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Research / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Southern Africa / UK

Injection of new genetics funding to boost the health and productivity of Africa’s farm animals

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Scientists will use funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to look at how genetic information can improve the health and productivity of farmed animals in tropical climates. The institutions in Scotland and Africa where the researchers are based are also making additional contributions, taking the total funding pot to £20 million over the next five years. Continue reading →