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.
This Status Report by Lusato Kurwijila on Status of postgraduate training in the livestock sector in East and Central Africa and priorities for ILRI’s support was released on 17 December, 2009. ILRI recognizes that the long-term solution to address the continuous and dynamic nature of capacity strengthening needs is to develop sustainable capacity within the … Continue reading
Federated Farmers has enthusiastically welcomed news that the Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases is starting to get the financial means to take flight, with over $200 million pledged from New Zealand, the United States and Canada. “We’re ecstatic to see the United States contributing $125 million worth of research over four years, while … Continue reading
With agreement at the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen for agriculture to be included in emission reduction targets thought to be imminent, carbon stewardship could be the new currency for sustainable agriculture. After 60 years in the wilderness, organic farmers feel their hour has finally come. Soil Association Director Patrick Holden said: “Paying farmers to … Continue reading
In this week’s PLoS Medicine, Jonna Mazet (University of California, Davis) and colleagues describe their work in the Tanzania-based HALI Project, which adopts the ‘One Health’ approach to address emerging zoonoses, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. There is a strong need for integrated health approaches, the authors argue, because explosive human … Continue reading
On 16 December in Copenhagen, agricultural research took center stage at the United Nations Climate Change Conference when Ministers from 18 countries launched a Global Research Alliance that will help us better understand how agriculture can help reduce greenhouse gases while also growing more food. USDA will commit up to $90 Million over four years towards … Continue reading
‘So what was it like at COP15’? A tough question to answer. I think my colleague from England summed it up best in his quintessential low-key British manner – ‘it was madness’. But well organized madness, I must say. There can’t be many nationalities apart from the Danish that could have managed and coped with … Continue reading
It is not the best time for livestock breeders to be in Copenhagen, especially those whose livelihoods and culture are intertwined with the precious creatures that provide meat in diet. Negotiators and activists here say the world has to cut its meat consumption and activities around raising chicken, pigs, and cattle, saying they are major … Continue reading
A meeting between Abera Deressa(PhD), state minister for Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD), and meat exporters ended in disagreement over low meat export. The meat exporters could go back to the Prime Minister’s Office who prompted the meeting by expressing his dissatisfaction over poor export performance at the monthly meeting of the National Export Coordination … Continue reading
Recognizing the threat to animal and human health, the federal government has launched a multimillion-dollar initiative in the hopes of preventing the next global pandemic. The U.S. Agency for International Development announced Oct. 22 the start of its Emerging Pandemic Threats program, a five-pronged approach to preparing the world for emerging infectious diseases. It builds … Continue reading
Britain faces a ‘perfect storm’ of water shortage and lack of food, says the government’s chief scientist, and climate change and crop and animal diseases will add to future woes. Science is now striving to find solutions. The farmers of tomorrow will not only have to improve yields using less fertiliser, they will also have … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 