A better backyard chicken for Africa could help save the continent’s diminishing wildlife populations

Posted on 13 Jun 2017 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

The idea that the humble chicken could become a savior of wildlife will seem improbable to many environmentalists. But as the human population grows at a rate that rapidly outpaces the ability of natural habitats to feed it, a better backyard chicken could be a real hope for people and wildlife alike. Continue reading →

Animal Products / Biodiversity / Breeds / Chickens / Consumption / Food Security / Gender / Indigenous Breeds / Nutrition / Pro-Poor Livestock / Science paper / Women

A chicken in every pot? New research makes the poultry case for food and nutritional security

Posted on 10 May 2017 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

A review paper just published online tells us more than (we might have thought) we’d like to know about how poultry production, conducted on small scales and in poor settings, affects food security. The review appears in Global Food Security (available online 2 May 2017). Continue reading →

A4NH / Agri-Health / AHH / Chickens / Consumption / Dairying / Event / ILRI / Kenya / LIVESTOCKCRP / Nutrition / PIL / Pro-Poor Livestock

Designing projects for improving nutrition through animal source foods—4 May 2017

Posted on 3 May 2017 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

Land O’Lakes International Development and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) are pleased to announce a webinar option for their meeting tomorrow, 4 May, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Animal Source Foods for Nutrition Impact: Evidence and Good Practices for Informed Project Design. This one-day event will be held on the ILRI Nairobi campus from 8:30am to 5:00pm on Thu 4 May 2017. Continue reading →

ACGG / Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Feeding / Article / Chickens / CTLGH / Ethiopia / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / Intensification / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Markets / Mozambique / Nigeria / Poultry / Tanzania

The ‘big bet’ on chickens for Africa

Posted on 16 Oct 2016 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

The African Chicken Genetic Gains project is on a mission to bring ‘more productive chickens to African smallholders’. Led by ILRI, and backed by the deep pockets of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Chicken Genetic Gains project aims to improve the genetic makeup of African chickens. The initiative, which is initially being rolled out in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania, is part of what the Microsoft founder has called his ‘big bet’ on chickens, which also includes a promise to donate 100,000 of the birds to families and communities in the world’s poorest nations. . . . Continue reading →

ACGG / Animal Breeding / Article / Biodiversity / Breeds / Chickens / Environment / Europe / Genetics / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / Poultry

Belgian artist’s 20-year chicken breeding project makes artistic, environmental (maybe philosophical) statement

Posted on 29 Sep 2016 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen has created a chicken with genes from different chicken breeds from all over the world. Now he’s bringing it to America to help diversify our poultry. Continue reading →

ACGG / Africa / Animal Breeding / Article / Biodiversity / Breeds / Chickens / Ethiopia / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / Nigeria / Poultry / Tanzania

If Africa learnt to feed its chickens, it could feed its people—Calestous Juma

Posted on 22 Sep 2016 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

‘Africa, which imports nearly 83% of the food it consumes, has a real chicken and egg problem. The continent is caught between pressure from imports in some countries and an inability to meet demand in others.’ Article by Calestous Juma republished from The Conversation. Continue reading →

Agriculture / Animal Feeding / Article / ASSP / Cattle / Chickens / Crop residues / Dairying / Drought / Food Security / Goats / ILRI / Insurance / Poultry / Resilience / Sheep / Small Ruminants / South Africa / Southern Africa / Zimbabwe

Farmers coping with on-going drought in southern Africa need better weather advice and insurance

Posted on 20 Sep 2016 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

A new regional push, focused on promoting four key actions to adapt agriculture and curb growing hunger, could help, Ajayi said. The best ways to assist southern Africa’s farmers, agricultural experts said, are by increasing their access to insurance for crop failure and livestock deaths, and giving them better weather advice via mobile phone. Continue reading →

ACGG / Animal Breeding / Article / Chickens / Ethiopia / Film and video / Genetics / ILRI / Interview / LiveGene / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKFISH / Nigeria / Opinion piece / Poultry / Pro-Poor Livestock / Tanzania / Women

Why Melinda and Bill Gates are betting big on chickens (hint: ‘the ATM of the poor’)

Posted on 8 Jun 2016 by Susan MacMillan • 1 Comment

Our foundation is betting on chickens. Alongside partners throughout sub-Saharan Africa, we are working to create sustainable market systems for poultry. It’s especially important for these systems to make sure farmers can buy birds that have been properly vaccinated and are well suited to the local growing conditions. Our goal: to eventually help 30 percent of the rural families in sub-Saharan Africa raise improved breeds of vaccinated chickens, up from just 5 percent now. . . . Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Breeding / Biodiversity / Biotechnology / Cattle / Chickens / Climate Change / Genetics / Goats / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / LiveGene / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Research / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Southern Africa / UK

Injection of new genetics funding to boost the health and productivity of Africa’s farm animals

Posted on 26 Nov 2015 by Susan MacMillan • Leave a comment

Scientists will use funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to look at how genetic information can improve the health and productivity of farmed animals in tropical climates. The institutions in Scotland and Africa where the researchers are based are also making additional contributions, taking the total funding pot to £20 million over the next five years. Continue reading →

ACGG / Animal Breeding / Animal Production / Animal Products / Chickens / East Africa / Ethiopia / Food Security / Gender / Indigenous Breeds / LIVESTOCKFISH / Nigeria / Nutrition / Research / Tanzania / West Africa / Women

Chickens from the ACGG project to the rescue of African women and families

Posted on 24 Nov 2015 by Ewen Le Borgne • 1 Comment

Women represent 70% of African smallholder chicken producers. Chickens can be a real way out of difficult livelihoods for these women and the households they attend to. A new project, SciDev.Net recently reported, is aiming at leveraging this potential in novel ways. Continue reading →

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Category Archives: Chickens