Animal Production / Animal Products / Buffalo / ILRI / India / Markets / South Asia / Value Chains

Small-scale buffalo-keeping in India goes big time–With exports a quarter of world’s beef market

Buffalo in a village homestead in the Himalayan foothills of northern India (photo credit: ILRI/Susan MacMillan). ‘Alas for the sacred cow: Beef exports from India are expected to surge 30 per cent this year, giving this country a quarter of the world market. ‘This is a good-news story in a lurching economy. Livestock industries, from eggs … Continue reading

Agriculture / Burundi / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event / ILRI / Kenya / Rwanda / Tanzania / Uganda

‘Bio-economy’ of East Africa boosted by Bio-Innovate research program

Seyoum Leta, Bio-Innovate Program Manager, at the First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference at the United Nations Conference Centre, Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25–27 Feb 2013 (photo credit: ILRI/Apollo Habtamu). ‘Capacities in biosciences in various sectors are scarce and scattered in Africa, Bio-Innovate Program Manager Dr. Seyoum Leta said Monday in Addis Ababa at … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Climate Change / Ethiopia / Food Safety / Food Security / Research

Third Dialogue on Ethiopian agriculture to discuss agricultural research in the face of climate change and food security

The third Dialogue on Ethiopian Agriculture with the theme “Agricultural Research for National Development in the Face of Climate Change and Food Security” will take place on March 9 and 10, 2013 at Haramaya University. The Dialogue aims to provide a platform to deliberate on policy issues and strategies pertaining to agricultural education, research, technology … Continue reading

Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Ethiopia / Geodata / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Pastoralism / Project / Vulnerability

Livestock herders in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia insured against drought for first time

Cattle herders at Goraye in Ethiopia’s lowland Oromiya region (photo on Flickr by Andrew Heavens). ‘The drylands of East Africa are home to millions of pastoralists, herders who move from place to place in search of water and pasture for their livestock. Drought years are tough for these families, who depend on their animals—cows, goats, … Continue reading

Africa / Event / Kenya

Towards competitive and sustainable world-class livestock sectors – Africa livestock stakeholders to meet in Kenya

The Kenya Livestock Producers Association (KLPA) in collaboration with East Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) and Eastern and Southern Africa Dairy Association (ESADA) and other partners in the livestock sector in Africa and beyond will meet up at the African Livestock Conference and Exhibition (ALiCE 2013) to be held on June 26th – 29th 2013 in … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Production / Biodiversity / Books and chapters / Cattle / Countries / Goats / Guinea / ILRI / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Mali / Research / Sheep / West Africa

Management of globally significant endemic ruminant livestock in Guinea and Mali

Although livestock play a central role in rural development in West Africa, traditional livestock systems are in general characterized by high mortality rates, low reproductive rates and low offtake rates. Furthermore, the presence of trypanosome-infected tsetse flies in the subhumid and humid areas seriously holds back the potential for livestock production. The region’s endemic ruminant … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Biotechnology / East Africa / Event / Research

Bio-Innovate regional scientific conference to explore successes challenges in applying bioscience innovation in East Africa

Eastern Africa will be the focus of a transformational forum to harness the power of biosciences innovations later this month, when more than 120 scientists, policy makers, the private sector, donors, and other stakeholders gather at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 1st Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference at the United Nations Conference Centre,  from 25-27 February … Continue reading

Agri-Health / Article / Disease Control / East Africa / Epidemiology / Ethiopia / Human Health / ILRI / Zoonotic Diseases

An old-fashioned disease threatens ancient culture / emerging economy: TB in Ethiopia

ILRI’s ‘A disease called poverty’ poster: An old-fashioned deadly disease is emerging from an ancient culture and an emerging economy (poster credit: ILRI/Susan MacMillan). ‘Ethiopia has the largest cattle population in Africa. The vast majority of the national herd is of indigenous zebu cattle maintained in rural areas under extensive husbandry systems. However, in response … Continue reading

Africa / Biodiversity / CGIAR / Fodder / Forages / Genebank / ILRI / Seeds

New funding agreement to help maintain world’s genebanks–and save plant genetic diversity

Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium, is given a tour of the ILRI Forage Genebank, located in Addis Ababa, by its manager, Alexandra Jorge, in January 2013 (photo credit: ILRI\Zerihun Sewunet). The Global Crop Diversity Trust and the CGIAR Consortium have announced a new agreement which will bring financial stability to 11 international genebanks of … Continue reading