Soaring international production of livestock could release enough carbon into the atmosphere by 2050 to single-handedly exceed ‘safe’ levels of climate change, says a study. Scientists combined figures for livestock production in 2000 with Food and Agriculture Organization projections for population growth and meat consumption by 2050. They found that the livestock sector’s emissions alone … Continue reading
Tag Archives: FAO
Just who should reduce their consumption of meat, milk and eggs to reduce livestock greenhouse gas emissions?
Milk from a dairy cow kept by a household in the highland farming community of Embu, Kenya, generates a regular income that helps this family pay for their children’s school fees (photo by CGIAR/Mann). Agricultural systems analyst Mario Herrero, of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), takes issue this week with a paper published 4 … Continue reading
Livestock sector policies and programs in developing countries: A menu for practitioners
Interventions to strengthen the livestock sector in the developing world help reduce poverty and hunger because hundreds of millions of rural households rely heavily on livestock to sustain their livelihoods. Farm animals generate opportunities for on- and off-farm employment and provide important supplements to the cereal-based diets of the less well-to-do. At the same time, … Continue reading
Africa / Asia / Farming Systems / Food Safety / Food Security / Latin America / Nutrition
Where should urban livestock raising be practiced? Where curtailed?
Dairy cows, buffaloes and other livestock are kept in India’s urban as well as rural areas (photo by ILRI/MacMillan). ‘. . . Urban agriculture can . . . have important benefits for food security. Although the impact might be small, it can be crucial for some groups of society, such as the urban poor as … Continue reading
Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Disease Control / East Africa / Ethiopia / Kenya / Sudan / Tanzania
Veterinary officers meet to strengthen animal disease control in eastern Africa
Chief veterinary officers and heads of central veterinary laboratories from 10 countries met in Zanzibar from 24 to 26 Aug 2010 to plan how to enhance the preparedness, prevention and management of animal diseases. Participants recommended strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration, particularly with key partners such as the Africa Union/Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, the World … Continue reading
Africa / Animal Production / Animal Products / Asia / Biodiversity / India / Indigenous Breeds / Latin America / Livestock / Markets / Somalia / South Africa
Marketing local breeds to improve livestock diversity and livelihoods
Throughout the world and over centuries, small-scale livestock keepers and pastoralists have developed animal breeds that are well suited to their local conditions. These breeds are hardy and disease-resistant; they can survive on little water and scant vegetation. They can continue producing meat and milk in areas where modern, imported breeds succumb without expensive housing, … Continue reading
It’s not the livestock–it’s the farming model–that needs changing
A cow in India eats the wastes of crop production after the grain has been harvested (photo by ILRI / Mann). In a new book, Meat: A Benign Extravagance, Simon Fairlie shows we should not be arguing against all meat eating, but against the current farming model. Fairlie, says Guardian writer George Monbiot, ‘demonstrates that … Continue reading
Africa / Agriculture / Brazil / Cattle / Environment / Food Security / Latin America / Livestock / North America / NRM / Research / Soils / Water / WLE
The miracle of the cerrado
Brazil has revolutionized its own farms. Can it do the same for others? IN A remote corner of Bahia state, in north-eastern Brazil, a vast new farm is springing out of the dry bush. Thirty years ago eucalyptus and pine were planted in this part of the cerrado (Brazil’s savannah). Native shrubs later reclaimed some … Continue reading
Pakistan’s national livestock herds imperiled by flooding
Happy Herding, a picture taken by Benny Lin in Pakistan on 18 January 2010, a half year before the great floods came. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says there is urgent need for animal feed in Pakistan to prevent further economic destruction in the aftermath of the disastrous flooding. ‘Millions … Continue reading
USAID and FAO continue joint battle against infectious disease threats
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is renewing its support of FAO’s efforts to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and other emerging infectious diseases, the UN agency announced today. USAID’s commitment totals US$26.3 million for the period running from October 2011 to September 2012. The funds will support continuing FAO technical assistance … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 