Category Archives: Agriculture

African talent feeding African markets with African products: Global food and agribusiness meeting hears of ‘livestock value chains’ in Africa
Africa / Agriculture / Botswana / HUMIDTROPICS / Livelihoods / Markets / PIL / Policy / Presentation / South Africa / Tanzania / Trade / Uganda / Value Chains

African talent feeding African markets with African products: Global food and agribusiness meeting hears of ‘livestock value chains’ in Africa

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In Jun 2014 three agricultural economists working with the International Livestock Research Institute presented case studies at the World Forum of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) in Cape Town, South Africa. The main lesson from the two cases presented is that by training farmers, processors and other stakeholders supporting agribusiness development, African talent can create new products and innovative processes that help feed African markets with African products. Continue reading →

Hard numbers: Making the business case for massive investments in ‘One Health’ to protect ‘One World’
A4NH / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Article / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / FSZ / Human Health / ILRIComms / Spotlight / Zoonotic Diseases

Hard numbers: Making the business case for massive investments in ‘One Health’ to protect ‘One World’

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The time has come to make the bigger case for massive investment in One Health to transform the management of neglected and emerging zoonoses and to save the lives of millions of people and hundreds of millions of animals whose production supports and nourishes billions of impoverished people per annum. Continue reading →

Getting (the band) back together: US climate report sees reconnecting crops to livestock as smart adaption strategy
Agriculture / Climate Change / Crop Residues / Crop-Livestock / Farming Systems / ILRI / ILRIComms / Intensification / LIVESTOCKFISH / Opinion Piece / Report / Spotlight / USA

Getting (the band) back together: US climate report sees reconnecting crops to livestock as smart adaption strategy

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The new National Climate Assessment released recently by President Obama’s Global Change Research Program contains dour predictions about the impact of climate change on livestock production in the United States. How can the country’s livestock sector adapt to these changes? One strategy suggested in the report will be familiar to experts at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). It involves raising livestock and crops together and taking advantage of the synergies between the two. Continue reading →

How to act in the face of uncertainty (and adapt to ‘wicked problems’) with ‘no regrets’ options–CGIAR PNAS paper
Agriculture / Article / Capacity Strengthening / CCAFS / Climate Change / Food Security / Geodata / ILRI / ILRIComms / Policy / Poverty / SLS / Spotlight / Vulnerability

How to act in the face of uncertainty (and adapt to ‘wicked problems’) with ‘no regrets’ options–CGIAR PNAS paper

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A 2013 paper, Addressing uncertainty in adaptation planning for agriculture, deserves a wide readership. The paper was published in 2013 in the prestigious US science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It tackles ‘uncertainty’ in climate change research for development. If you can manage your way through the technical jargon, you get to this: The results demonstrate the potential for robust knowledge and actions in the face of uncertainty. Continue reading →

Pig farming in Uganda–Big options, and big research, take hold
A4NH / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Animal Production / East Africa / Film and Video / FSZ / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pigs / PIL / Uganda / Value Chains

Pig farming in Uganda–Big options, and big research, take hold

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This 2-minute film presents a ‘day in the life’ of a research-for-development project working to improve smallholder pig production in Uganda. The film highlights the big opportunities as well as challenges faced by small-scale pig producers in this East African country. Continue reading →

Ugandans and pork: A story that needs telling
A4NH / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Animal Production / Article / East Africa / FSZ / Intensification / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKFISH / Pigs / PIL / Uganda / Value Chains

Ugandans and pork: A story that needs telling

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Without becoming more visible, and gaining greater attention by researchers, government policymakers, non-governmental organizations and entrepreneurs, Uganda’s pig sector potential is unlikely to be fully exploited anytime soon. Continue reading →

Dairy feed project to reduce aflatoxin contamination in Kenya’s milk
A4NH / Aflatoxins / Agri-Health / Agriculture / Animal Products / Article / Disease Control / Food Safety / FSZ / Human Health / Kenya / Nutrition

Dairy feed project to reduce aflatoxin contamination in Kenya’s milk

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Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin, are toxins found in food that can cause illness and be lethal in high doses. These toxins are formed by strains of moulds that infest susceptible grains such as maize and sorghum. Dairy cows that eat contaminated feed can yield contaminated milk. Milk is a major food in Kenya. Understanding how, … Continue reading →