Speaking at a recent meeting on the ‘Impact of U.S. Support on Farming, Poverty and Stability in Mozambique’, Florencia Cipriano, Head of Veterinary Services in Mozambique, described the country’s poultry sector transformation. This transformation included the establishment of the Mozambican Aviculture Association (AMA) that “enabled new poultry farmers to form sustainable businesses, helping them understand … Continue reading
Category Archives: Southern Africa
Plan launched to increase incomes for Tanzanian dairy farmers
Land O’Lakes International Development has launched a new $8 million, three-year USDA-funded dairy development programme in the country that is expected to directly improve incomes and strengthen food security for nearly 18,000 farmers and agricultural input and service providers. The programme, to be funded by the USAID, will also indirectly benefit an additional 87,000 family … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Diseases / Animal Production / Botswana / Disease Control / Livestock / Southern Africa / Vaccines
Botswana’s cattle industry: an uncertain future despite vaccine breakthrough
One chief facet of the country’s domestic agriculture industry remains cattle raising (though agriculture and livestock production account for between only 2-4% of GDP, while employing approximately 25% of the country’s labor force) and the export of beef to international markets such as the European Union (EU) and South Africa, although production has admittedly sagged … 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 / Animal Production / Climate Change / Goats / Livestock / Mozambique / Small Ruminants / Southern Africa
Mozambique adapting to climate change with goats
People in the floodplains of Mozambique’s Zambezi Valley have always relied on the rains October and November so they could sow their seeds for a good harvest in the New Year. But, there are droughts and the rains are erratic, often coming very late and falling so heavily that everything is washed away. Crops fail, … Continue reading
Botswana welcomes livestock insurance
The newly launched livestock insurance scheme will help improve business sustainability and productivity in the agricultural sub sector, the product promoters-Botswana Insurance Company-are confident. Read more: Midweek Sun (Botswana) Simbarashe Nembaware News blog More posts on livestock insurance Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Innovation Systems / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Markets / Research / Southern Africa / Value Chains
Innovation platforms for market development and technology uptake in Southern Africa
At the ILRI-hosted ‘AgKnowledge Africa‘ share fair and the 5th All Africa conference on animal agriculture, Andre van Rooyen shared ICRISAT experiences with ‘innovation platforms’ for market development and technology uptake in Southern Africa. Such ‘innovation platforms’ – spaces which allow individuals and organizations to come together to address issues of mutual concern and interest … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Climate Change / Crop residues / Crop-Livestock / Fodder / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Southern Africa
Livestock systems in Swaziland: Adapt or perish
A changing climate will prompt changes in behaviour across southern Africa. And when it comes to adaptation, Swazi farmer Bongani Phakathi is a frustrated man a few steps ahead of his neighbours. Traditionally, livestock in Swaziland grazes in the fields during winter, eating what’s left behind after maize and other crops are harvested. But Phakathi … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Diseases / Animal Products / Kenya / Mozambique / Southern Africa / Trade / Wildlife
Getting wildlife and livestock value-added benefits: Part 2 of interview of veterinarian Steve Osofsky
. . . If we don’t recognize the importance of both livestock and wildlife, southern Africa is going to lose out. The following excerpts are taken from the second part of a two-part interview with Steve Osofsky, Director of Wildlife Health Policy for the Wildlife Conservation Society. ‘In Botswana, if you want to export beef … Continue reading
Biodiversity / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / Environment / Epidemiology / Kenya / Mozambique / Southern Africa / Tanzania / Wildlife
Veterinarian Steve Osofsky on smart ways of tackling wildlife, livestock and human health in tandem
Photo credit: ILRI / Mann Steve Osofsky, wildlife veterinarian and Director of Wildlife Health Policy at the international Wildlife Conservation Society, spoke with Laurel Neme on her ‘The WildLife’ radio show and podcast about the intersection between wildlife, livestock and human health, and how paying attention to all three in tandem leads to better outcomes … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 