ILRI Corporate Report 2015-2016

The Board of Trustees, management and staff of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) take great pleasure in announcing the publication of the ILRI Corporate report 2015–2016.

With a brief introduction by Jimmy Smith, the director general of ILRI, and Lindsay Falvey, chair of the ILRI Board of Trustees, the report concisely outlines the many opportunities and challenges facing the livestock sector. The two ILRI leaders underline the importance that the world seek to capitalize on these transformational opportunities by paying greater attention to livestock, recognizing its potential for harm as well as good, and making commensurate investments in livestock research and development work.

The chapter on ‘Influencing global agendas’ defines specifically what getting the world to pay greater attention to livestock would mean in concrete terms: raising the prominence of livestock in the global development agenda; recognizing the role of the smallholder livestock sector for sustainable food and nutritional security and poverty reduction; and pursuing interventions to make livestock systems more environmentally sustainable.

In line with the ILRI strategy 2013–2022, the report provides examples of specific results of ILRI’s work in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders putting science into practice, facilitating evidence-based decision-making and developing the capacities of its partners in five interlinked areas: livestock genetics and breeding; livestock feeds and forages; livestock and human health; policies, value chains and livelihoods; and sustainable livestock systems. These include better smallholder livestock production systems; improved human nutrition and health; more quality food; higher household incomes; climate-smart livestock; fewer human and livestock diseases; environmental protection; gender equity and inclusive growth; and enabling policies and institutions.

Over the course of the next month, each chapter—genetics, feeds and forages, health, livelihoods and the environment—of the report will be published on the ILRI News blog, with links to articles for the reader to dig further into each specific issue. So, delve into the full report now or wait to read the individual chapters in the coming weeks.

ILRI acknowledges all of those who have partnered in its work, invested in its projects, used its research and publicized its findings. None of our achievements would be possible without this broader community of gifted and dedicated livestock-for-development workers. The collective achievements outlined in this report are a testimony to all those who have invested their resources in helping capitalize from the ‘livestock revolution’, ensuring sustainable livestock development can do much more than produce more food, it can nourish the world’s populations and drive equitable and broad-based economic growth.

Read online or download the full ILRI Corporate report 2015–2016