For people living in absolute poverty and chronic hunger, the solution is not to rid the world of livestock, but to find ways to farm animals more efficiently and more sustainably
We need to conserve the most important livestock genetic diversity for possible future use – by poor and rich farmers alike
Livestock feed is a key constraint to the commercialization of smallholder livestock production
While vaccines remain the most cost-effective medical and veterinary interventions for controlling disease, opportunities also exist to improve animal health by improving existing veterinary services and access by poor livestock keepers to those services
Mixed crop-and-livestock farms will, more than the traditional breadbaskets and rice bowls of the past, feed the developing world over the next few decades
Human, livestock and environmental health are inextricably linked, Sixty-one per cent of all diseases are ‘zoonotic’ –that is, transmissible between animals and humans.
Making smallholder production more competitive is a powerful tool to reduce poverty, raise nutrition levels and improve the livelihoods of rural people in many developing countries
Expert opinion agrees that the best way to tap into the potential of the drylands is to build on the foundation of their livestock economies rather than ignoring them or seeking to replace them.
East Africa has been earmarked for a global research programme that seeks to strike a balance between food production and environment conservation. Faced with the new threat of climate change, the Consultative Group on International and Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) will spearhead the 10-year challenge programme on Climate Change, … Continue reading
So here’s an odd one to ponder for the weekend – could cows have mobile phones? Last week I got to stay on a dairy farm for the weekend (city kids need to smell some country air from time to time). Whilst there, we got a tour of the milking parlour and, even though I’m … Continue reading
Livestock genebanks are needed to ensure the world’s future food supply, says livestock expert Carlos Seré. The genetic diversity of livestock is threatened worldwide, but especially in the global South, where the vast majority of farm animal breeds reside. Read more … (SciDev.net) Continue reading
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), has received a $4.4 million award for research to build a climate model that can predict outbreaks of infectious disease in Africa. ILRI will work with 11 partners and researchers to integrate data from climate modeling and disease … Continue reading
Farmers in Sorsogon province (the Philippines) have recognized goat raising as environment friendly and profitable farming venture. Goats are very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital investment, fit the small hold farm conditions, and multiply fast,” PCARRD explained in its investment briefer. “Culturally, goats are integral to every special occasion such as … Continue reading
America’s dairy farmers could soon find themselves in the computer business, with the manure from their cows possibly powering the vast data centers of companies like Google and Microsoft. While not immediately intuitive, the idea plays on two trends: the building of computing centers in more rural locales, and dairy farmers’ efforts to deal with … Continue reading
This manual by Berhanu Gebremedhin, Abraham Getachew and Rebeka Amha on Results-based monitoring and evaluation for organizations working in agricultural development: a guide for practitioners was released on 12 May, 2010 The purpose of this guide for practitioners is to contribute to the development of RBM&E capacity and to facilitate its institutionalization in organizations dealing … Continue reading
Last week, African Ministers responsible for animal resources met in Uganda. The theme of the meeting was “improving access to markets for African animal resources to significantly contribute to economic growth and reduction of poverty.” H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime , Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission opened the meeting, arguing … Continue reading
The European Union (EU) and the African Union- Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) have signed financial agreements totalling Euros 28.8 million to support three new projects. The signing ceremony took place on 13 May 2010 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe, Uganda where the 8th AU Conference of Ministers responsible for Animal … Continue reading
Erratic rains last year in Burkina, where animal husbandry is the main livelihood in many regions, resulted in widespread shortages of water and pasture. Aid workers and breeders say the poor condition of local livestock – animals that have not already migrated in search of pasture – is hitting families’ food security. The livestock families … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 