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.
Dusty northern Kenya doesn’t look like a laboratory, but across its dry plains, cattle herders are pioneering a new way to fend off poverty and teaming up with unlikely partners – insurance agents. The two groups have been brought together by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), headquartered in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. A few years … Continue reading
A new fund to improve eastern Africa’s crop productivity and efficiency in agricultural processing has been set up with a $10.6 million kitty. The move is meant to fight poverty and spur economic growth. Besides scientists from diverse disciplines, private firms, and non-governmental organisations in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda will compete for … Continue reading
The government of Kenya and the donor community should act fast to preserve the way of life of nomadic people. For long, the economic worth of nomadic people has been underplayed, though the role they play in preserving fragile ecosystems is vital. That’s the conclusion of a new book published by the Institute for Environment … Continue reading
There is relief that human cases of Swine Flu have so far turned out to be less lethal than expected for many people. Understanding of the need to be prepared is beginning to replace annoyance over expensive unused vaccine stockpiles. But pandemic alerts might be avoided altogether with a new approach aiming to deal with … Continue reading
In an exclusive interview with MediaGlobal’s Nosh Nalavala, the United Nations System Influenza Coordinator, Dr. David Nabarro calls for a global strategy to combat avian influenza and highlights the role of the United Nations. Read more … (MediaGlobal) Continue reading
Australian researchers plan to launch a genetically-engineered “super-grass” by 2013, claiming that cows grazing on it will produce up to 20 per cent more milk. The GE ryegrass – being developed in Australia for New Zealand seed company PGG Wrightson – has potential to make a huge difference to agriculture, according to the chief executive … Continue reading
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud today paid a visit to Nothingville Backlands, Hope, East Coast Demerara, to assess the works in progress to sustain cattle farmers, in light of the El Nino situation now being experienced. During an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister Persaud said that the exercise is in keeping with … Continue reading
Anyone who was wondering what a million-dollar cow looks like need only feast your eyes on Eastside Lewisdale Gold Missy, or just “Missy” — a testament to everything a cow can be and more. Missy sold for $1.13 million at auction in Toronto, and already has $3.23 million in contracts, including 25 embryos and six … Continue reading
The London Times recent obituary of Walter Plowright hails Plowright for transforming cattle-based economies that had been blighted by the rinderpest virus. Read more . .. (Times) Continue reading
Land O’ Lakes reports how the Maforga Christian Mission in Mozambique has improve the nutritional intake of the orphans through a dairy demonstration project. As of December 2009, the Mission’s lactating cows were producing more than 50 liters of fresh milk per day. From August to December, total production reached 5,076 liters of milk. This … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 