Africa / Agriculture / CCAFS / Climate Change / Food Security / ILRI

‘Africa will be hardest hit by climate change’–experts

Farmer Celeste Sitoe tends to her maize and chickens on her subsistence farm in Lhate Village, Chokwe, Mozambique (photo credit: ILRI/Mann). ‘Africa will be amongst the hardest hit regions of the world as the climate heats up, threatening the continent’s food security, experts agree. If global temperatures rise 2.0 degrees C, southern Africa will warm … Continue reading

Climate Change / Colombia / Environment / Latin America / Livestock

New consortium to quantify Latin American cattle greenhouse gas emissions

Some of Latin America’s major cattle-producing countries will begin working as a team in 2011 to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions from their bovine industry—and to come up with options for reducing them. The planned consortium, made up of scientists from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Uruguay, was selected to receive financing from FONTAGRO … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Geodata / GIS / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / South Africa / Southern Africa / Wildlife

South Africa: Satellite can help improve veld production estimates

Satellite images could soon be used in South Africa to quantify veld production, estimate livestock carrying capacity and help farmers plan fodder flow, reports Roelof Bezuidenhout. Read more … (Meat Trade News) Continue reading

Africa / Climate Change / ILRI

‘We’re heading for a four-degree rise in temperature by end century’–ILRI systems analyst Philip Thornton

ARDD branding at Agriculture and Rural Development Day 2010, a side event held on 4 December 2010 at the COP16 United Nations climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico (photo credit: Neil Palmer/CIAT). ‘Taking steps to control global temperatures is a key issue at the UN talks on climate change in Cancun. Within the next four … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Health / Livestock

Sub-Saharan Africa livestock institutions assessment

The Borlaug Institute at Texas A&M University is working with the Africa Bureau of the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) to conduct an assessment of organizations and institutions working in the livestock sector as to their role, functions, capacities, and collaborations within sub-Saharan Africa. The assessment includes examining the support regional, pan-African, and … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Asia / CCAFS / Climate Change / East Africa / South Asia / West Africa

Researchers worldwide unite in multi-million dollar initiative to fight climate change in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

Inger Andersen, chair of the Fund Council of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and vice president of Sustainable Development at the World Bank during her opening speech at Agriculture and Rural Development Day, a side event at the United Nations climate change conference (COP16), being held in Cancún, Mexico (photo credit: Neil … Continue reading

Animal Production / Asia / Goats / India / Livestock / Small Ruminants / South Asia

India’s goat gamble

It has been a slow and steady shift over decades. Forced by declining returns from farming in ecologically fragile areas, small farmers have been taking to goat rearing. Today, goats ensure income to five million households in India. It is now bonanza time, with demand for goat meat projected to shoot up. India will have … Continue reading

Africa / Drought / Drylands / DRYLANDSCRP / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Pastoralism

Droughts hitting Kenya more frequently–ILRI’s Andrew Mude

The drylands of Marsabit District, in northern Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Mude). ‘With drought striking Kenya every two years, survival becomes an ever more violent occupation. ‘Qampa Re Liban (61), kicks the red soil, hurling up a cloud of dust with the rubber plimsoll on his right foot. ‘“No rain,” he says, leaning on an Ulle … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Breeding / Asia / Bangladesh / Biodiversity / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / Pakistan / South Asia / Southeast Asia / Sri Lanka / Vietnam

ILRI calls for steps to conserve the animal genetic resources of developing countries

‘The International Livestock Research Institute is calling for immediate, practical steps to preserve developing countries’ dwindling animal genetic diversity. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization says almost 10 percent of the world’s livestock breeds have become extinct in the last six years. Twenty percent of the 7,616 breeds documented in the FAO’s Global Databank … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Books and chapters / East Africa / Kenya / Research / Tanzania / Uganda

‘New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa’ launched by five East African heads of state

The 12th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State of the East African Community is taking place today, 3 December 2010, at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania. President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and current chairman of the summit, as well as presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, … Continue reading