The drought cycle in east Africa has been contracting sharply. Rains used to fail every nine or ten years. Then the cycle seemed to go down to five years. Now, it seems, the region faces drought every two or three years. The production of Kenyan maize, the country’s staple, is likely to drop by one-third, … Continue reading
This manual by Lemlem Aregu, Clare Bishop-Sambrook and Ranjitha Puskur of ILRI and Aresawum Mengesha, Ephrem Tesema and Zahra Ali – independent consultants on Gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming in a market oriented agricultural development context: A training manual for frontline staff was released on 7 October, 2009. This training manual is based on experiences from … Continue reading
The work of ecologist Robin Reid, who spent 15 years conducting pastoral research at the Nairobi headquarters of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is featured in a current segment of the American television program ‘60 Minutes’, which aired last Sunday, 3 October 2009. View the segment on the 60 Minutes website here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/60minutes/main13502.shtml Read … Continue reading
Millions of African families could be saved from destitution thanks to a much-needed vaccine that is being mass-produced in a drive to protect cattle against a deadly parasite. East Coast fever is a tick-transmitted disease that kills one cow every 30 seconds – with one million a year dying of the disease. Calves are particularly … Continue reading
The anticipated climatic changes will present mixed fortunes for pastoralist communities in Uganda and her neighbours. This is according to an Oxfam briefing paper Survival of the Fittest which says that pastoralist communities across East Africa are starting to learn to live with the reality of climate change, adapting as they can to its impacts. … Continue reading
Millions of African families could be saved from destitution thanks to a much-needed vaccine that is being mass-produced in a drive to protect cattle against a deadly parasite. East Coast fever is a tick-transmitted disease that kills one cow every 30 seconds – with one million a year dying of the disease. Calves are particularly … Continue reading
A new “it” grain is blooming in the fields of northwest Kansas. Teff has a ready-made market of Ethiopian expatriates hungering for a taste of home with virtually no supply of the grain for their beloved injera bread. Teff packs more protein per pound than wheat. And because it produces gluten-free flour, it could open … Continue reading
Several African leaders briefed President Barack Obama about their countries’ needs at a luncheon on Tuesday from which Kenya was excluded. Prime Minister Raila Odinga was initially invited to attend the event at New York’s posh Waldorf Astoria Hotel, but was subsequently disinvited by the US State Department. The heads of State of two of … Continue reading
Ian Scoones and Andrew Adwera of the Future Agricultures Consortium report from a March 2009 meeting of over 50 pastoralists from across southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Gathered in the Borana lowlands at the ‘University of the Bush,’ they debated key pastoral development issues and the question of innovation in pastoral systems. Meeting in several languages, participants … Continue reading
In July this year, Pastoralist Consultants International published a summary of their recent study into pastoralist livelihoods in Ethiopia. It discusses discusses the role of diverse voices in developing secure livelihoods in pastoralist areas of Ethiopia. The paper shows how Ethiopian pastoralists value being able to speak, be heard and be connected. Download the PDF … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 