Applying innovation system concepts in agricultural research for development: A learning module

Posted on 23 Nov 2009 by Zerihun Sewunet • Leave a comment

This report by Ponniah Anandajayasekeram and Ranjitha Puskur of ILRI and Elias Zerfu of IFPRI on Applying innovation system concepts in agricultural research for development was released on 23 November, 2009. This learning module is expected to have multiple uses. One, a source material for trainings that could be organized at different levels, and two, as … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Cattle / East Africa / ECF / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / Tanzania

Using mobile phones to monitor cattle disease

Posted on 23 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

In October, the London International Development Centre (LIDC) organised a workshop to discuss the ‘Impact of Mobile Phones Upon Development and Health’. Three speakers spoke on the use of mobile phones and animal health in Africa: Andrew Hagner (Royal Veterinary College) explained how he and his Undergraduate Research Team used mobile devices to record the … Continue reading →

Africa / East Africa / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / Research

A day in the life of livestock science in Africa: The journalists’ view

Posted on 22 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Many agricultural science reporters don’t have first hand experience of livestock science. But one team of African print and radio journalists embraced the chance to find out more, to see livestock science in action. Click here to watch the video More videos on livestock from Wrenmedia … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Livestock / RVF / Southern Africa / Tanzania / UK / Zoonotic Diseases

Southern African centre to monitor infectious diseases affecting humans and animals

Posted on 21 Nov 2009 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) announced that “deadly diseases including plague, Ebola and Rift Valley Fever are being targeted as part of a new multi-million pound international partnership involving African researchers and the RVC as part of the London International Development Centre (LIDC). The Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) links medical and … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Ethiopia / ILRI / Regions / Research

Ethiopian breeder awarded highest honour by his country’s president

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Ethiopia’s President, H.E. Ato Girma Woldegiorgis has awarded Ethiopian sorghum breeder and 2009 World Food Prize Laureate Prof Gebisa Ejeta the National Hero Award, the nation’s highest honour. This is the first time the award has been given to an Ethiopian for work in science and technology. Prof Ejeta received the honour at a ‘Dialogue … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Cattle / East Africa / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Vulnerability

Pastoralists enter safety zone with insurance cover

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

…Pastoralists will be compensated for loss of their animals from January after a livestock insurance product is launched in Kenya. However, details of the exact amount of premium to be paid will depend on the insurance company that have agreed to partner with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the institution that developed the product. … Continue reading →

Agriculture / East Africa / Food Security / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Tanzania / Uganda

Food security in East Africa is ‘within reach’

Posted on 17 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • 1 Comment

East Africa will face both crop gains and losses as a result of climate change, but food security is an achievable goal if new farming technologies are embraced, says a study. The research, published in Agricultural Systems this month (3 November), predicts that yields of staples like maize and beans will double in the region’s … Continue reading →

Agriculture / Drought / East Africa / Eritrea / Ethiopia / Food Security / Kenya / Somalia / Sudan / Uganda

Over 20 million people need food aid in East Africa: U.N

Posted on 16 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

Drought and war in eastern Africa have left more than 20 million people in desperate need of emergency food aid, the United Nations said on Tuesday. “The situation is very worrying due to expected crop and pasture failures from poor rains in several areas, the increase in conflicts, trade disruptions and continuing high food prices,” … Continue reading →

Canada / Cattle / Climate Change / East Africa / Environment / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / USA

Kenya to use satellites to fight climate change

Posted on 16 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • 2 Comments

Satellite-based insurance for livestock has been developed in Kenya to measure the country’s “greenness,” safeguarding herders against droughts and other effects of climate change. Slated to begin in early 2010, Kenya will be the first developing nation to set up a satellite insurance mechanism. Specialists will study satellite images measuring the greenness of vegetation in … Continue reading →

Africa / Climate Change / Drought / East Africa / Ethiopia

For Ethiopia’s farmers, climate change compounds food crisis

Posted on 14 Nov 2009 by ILRI Communications • Leave a comment

LOKE, Ethiopia — Standing amidst a group of scrawny fellow Ethiopian farmers, Tuke Shika points to the scorching sun when asked why his food reserves have dwindled this year. “The weather has changed, it’s not as it used to be before,” he laments. “The rains are increasingly erratic, and we are getting less and less … Continue reading →