East Africa / Innovation Systems / Kenya / Research / Women

African huts far from the grid glow with renewable power

For Sara Ruto, the desperate yearning for electricity began last year with the purchase of her first cellphone, a lifeline for receiving small money transfers, contacting relatives in the city or checking chicken prices at the nearest market. Charging the phone was no simple matter in this farming village far from Kenya’s electric grid. Every … Continue reading

Africa / Ethiopia / NRM / Research / Water / WLE

IWMI celebrates 25 years – Addis event focuses on its work in the Nile Basin and East Africa

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) shares a campus in Ethiopia with ILRI – the International Livestock Research Institute. The two organizations are also close partners in a number of projects across the world – but especially in Ethiopia and the Nile Basin. The event was kicked off by the Ethiopian State Minister for Water … Continue reading

Agriculture / East Africa / Genetics / ILRI / Kenya / Livestock / Research / USA

Now men can make babies without women

Now men may be able to make babies without women, through a technology that could for the first time allow same sex couples to have their own genetic children. In a technology developed to help in preserving endangered species and improving livestock breeds, scientists have, for the first time, developed an offspring from two males. … Continue reading

Animal Diseases / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / Research / USA / Zoonotic Diseases

Washington State University to construct global animal health research facilities

An American billionaire who built his fortune as co-founder of software giant Microsoft has given a university $26 million to find ways of improving Africa’s ability to respond to animal-borne diseases. Paul G. Allen, an investor and philanthropist, has made the largest gift to Washington State University in the school’s history — $26 million to … Continue reading

Animal Production / Asia / Capacity Strengthening / CapDev / ILRI / Livestock / Research / South Asia

Status of postgraduate training in the livestock sector in South Asia and priorities for ILRI’s support

This Status Report on the status of postgraduate training in the livestock sector in South Asia and priorities for ILRI’s support was released on 15 September, 2010. In order to establish the priorities for collaborative capacity strengthening activities of the learning institutes in the areas of animal production and veterinary services, ILRI commissioned five studies … 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

Agriculture / Asia / Climate Change / India / Knowledge and Information / Research / South Asia

Dependence on borrowed research has cost India

Even as the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment — dubbed “the Indian Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)” — released its first report on the impact of climate change in four regions of the country, it admitted that significant research gaps and lack of extensive databases were hampering Indian climate science. Long-term localised data … Continue reading

Research

Soldiers of misfortune (or ‘the dark side of virtue’)

In a recent article in the New Yorker, writer Philip Gourevitch asks: Can you provide humanitarian aid without facilitating conflicts? He and the author of the book he is reviewing, The Crisis Caravan: What’s Wrong with Humanitarian Aid?, by Dutch journalist Linda Polman, think not. This book review should be mandatory reading by all who enter … Continue reading

Africa / Asia / CCAFS / Climate Change / Research / South Asia

New scientific body to address ‘Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security’

Sahelian sheep look for food before the mosque at Djenne, in Mali (photo credit: ILRI/Mann). A new research program on ‘Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security’ (CCAFS) was launched this week. It will link much of the best climate-related agricultural research for development work going on at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and 14 … Continue reading

CCAFS / Climate Change / North America / Research

Climate scientists take their arguments to their skeptics

Climate scientists gather at a meeting of the Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) in Nairobi, Kenya in May 2010 (photo credit CCAFS). The Los Angeles Times reported on 8 November 2010 that climate scientists in the US are joining forces and taking their arguments to groups of global warming skeptics. … Continue reading