The annual migration of over a million wildebeest across the Serengeti and Maasai Mara is often described as one of the greatest spectacles on earth. However, this natural wonder poses a real threat to the livelihood of local farmers whose cattle are essential to their economic and social welfare. Four hundred thousand wildebeest calves born … Continue reading
Category Archives: East Africa
Africa / Drought / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Markets
Der Ziegen-Schutzbrief
Kleinbauern in Afrika können ihr Vieh neuerdings gegen Dürren versichern Der Marsabit-Distrikt in Kenia ist nicht unbedingt eine Touristengegend. Es gibt zwar um den verloschenen Vulkan gleichen Namens herum einen Nationalpark mit Löwen, Leoparden, Zebras und Elefanten. Aber das Tiefland am Ufer des Turkana-Sees und an der Grenze zu Äthiopien ist eintönig und flach, steinig … Continue reading
End of the road nears for pastoralists’ way of life
The government of Kenya and the donor community should act fast to preserve the way of life of nomadic people. The economic worth of nomadic people has long been underplayed, though the role they play in preserving fragile ecosystems is vital. That is the conclusion of a new book published by the Institute for Environment … 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
BecA / Central Africa / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Research
New bio-lab to link African scientists with the world
A multi-million dollar laboratory expected to boost research and put Africa at par with the world’s most advanced research institutions has opened its doors to African researchers. The laboratory — hosted under the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) hub — is based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi. It is the … 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
Koraro: The sustainability factor
The following is the sixth and final post in a series of reports from the Ethiopian village of Koraro, an important testing ground for the Millennium Village Project, an experiment in global development strategy spearheaded by economist Jeffrey Sachs. The reports, written by Jeff Marlow, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, consider … Continue reading
Agriculture / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Research
Africa to benefit from high-calibre labs
African scientists and students now have access to world-class laboratory facilities, with the opening of an agricultural biosciences research facility at the International Livestock Research Institute’s (ILRI) campus in Nairobi, Kenya. The laboratory facility meets the standards of the world’s most developed countries, said an ILRI spokesperson, and will enable Africans to “venture into new … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 