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.
Seyoum Leta, Bio-Innovate Program Manager, at the First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference at the United Nations Conference Centre, Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25–27 Feb 2013 (photo credit: ILRI/Apollo Habtamu). ‘Capacities in biosciences in various sectors are scarce and scattered in Africa, Bio-Innovate Program Manager Dr. Seyoum Leta said Monday in Addis Ababa at … Continue reading
This week, Bio-Innovate Africa is holding its first scientific conference in Addis Ababa. Some 150 people from the nine consortium projects are sharing lessons and challenges. Read more … or view photos below: Events 2013 (Addis): First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference, a set on Flickr. Continue reading
The third Dialogue on Ethiopian Agriculture with the theme “Agricultural Research for National Development in the Face of Climate Change and Food Security” will take place on March 9 and 10, 2013 at Haramaya University. The Dialogue aims to provide a platform to deliberate on policy issues and strategies pertaining to agricultural education, research, technology … Continue reading
Cattle herders at Goraye in Ethiopia’s lowland Oromiya region (photo on Flickr by Andrew Heavens). ‘The drylands of East Africa are home to millions of pastoralists, herders who move from place to place in search of water and pasture for their livestock. Drought years are tough for these families, who depend on their animals—cows, goats, … Continue reading
The Kenya Livestock Producers Association (KLPA) in collaboration with East Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) and Eastern and Southern Africa Dairy Association (ESADA) and other partners in the livestock sector in Africa and beyond will meet up at the African Livestock Conference and Exhibition (ALiCE 2013) to be held on June 26th – 29th 2013 in … Continue reading
Although livestock play a central role in rural development in West Africa, traditional livestock systems are in general characterized by high mortality rates, low reproductive rates and low offtake rates. Furthermore, the presence of trypanosome-infected tsetse flies in the subhumid and humid areas seriously holds back the potential for livestock production. The region’s endemic ruminant … Continue reading
Eastern Africa will be the focus of a transformational forum to harness the power of biosciences innovations later this month, when more than 120 scientists, policy makers, the private sector, donors, and other stakeholders gather at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 1st Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference at the United Nations Conference Centre, from 25-27 February … Continue reading
Chicken wings cooked with honey and soy (photo on Flickr by TheDeliciousLife). World Bank President Jim Yong Kim became a champion and (sort of) celebrity spokesperson for agricultural-research-for-development this week to the delight of those of us in that (not so celebrity) world. The added bonus for the 700 or so staff of the International … Continue reading
ILRI’s ‘A disease called poverty’ poster: An old-fashioned deadly disease is emerging from an ancient culture and an emerging economy (poster credit: ILRI/Susan MacMillan). ‘Ethiopia has the largest cattle population in Africa. The vast majority of the national herd is of indigenous zebu cattle maintained in rural areas under extensive husbandry systems. However, in response … Continue reading
Welcome to the first issue of Livestock Matter(s), a monthly round-up of livestock development news, publications, presentations, images and upcoming events from the International Research Institute (ILRI) and its partners. We aim to produce this on the first of each month. It will bring together some of the news and updates you may have missed. … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 