ILRI launches new drought index insurance for resilience in the Sahel and Horn of Africa project
Agriculture / Climate Change / Drought / Drylands / Environment / Ethiopia / Food Security / IBLI / Insurance / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / Launch / Livestock / Livestock Systems / LIVESTOCKCRP / Pastoralism / Project / Rangelands / Resilience / SLS / Somalia / Sudan / Uganda

ILRI launches new drought index insurance for resilience in the Sahel and Horn of Africa project

In July, ILRI launched a new Drought Index-insurance for Resilience in the Sahel and Horn of Africa (DIRISHA) project, focusing on pastoral systems in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region. Continue reading

Index-based livestock insurance: Reflecting on success
Africa / Agriculture / CapDev / CCAFS / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Ethiopia / IBLI / ILRI / Insurance / Interview / Livestock / Livestock Systems / LIVESTOCKCRP / Pastoralism / SLS

Index-based livestock insurance: Reflecting on success

One of the International Livestock Research Institute’s (ILRI’s) major success stories in recent years has been the development of an index-based livestock insurance program (IBLI), which protects livestock keepers in drought-prone arid and semi-arid lands from climate-related losses. Continue reading

Aspen New Voices Fellows Andrew Mude and Jemimah Njuki tell of the moments their ag careers ‘took off’
Africa / Agriculture / Communications / Drylands / Event Report / Film and Video / Gender / IBLI / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / LIVESTOCKCRP / Research / SLS / Spotlight / Staff / Women

Aspen New Voices Fellows Andrew Mude and Jemimah Njuki tell of the moments their ag careers ‘took off’

For your viewing and listening pleasure, here are two short video ‘stories’ by two great agricultural-research-for-development storytellers. Continue reading

Kenya’s Robin Mbae on livestock and climate change at Berlin’s Global Forum for Food and Agriculture
Climate Change / Dairying / Directorate / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Environment / Event Report / Food Security / Germany / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Pastoralism / Presentation / Pro-Poor Livestock / Rangelands / Spotlight

Kenya’s Robin Mbae on livestock and climate change at Berlin’s Global Forum for Food and Agriculture

Robin Mbae, deputy director of livestock production at the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, describes Kenya’s planning and implementation of interventions to address the impacts of climate change on the livestock sector and vice versa. Continue reading

Towards a sustainable, responsible and efficient livestock sector—Jimmy Smith at the Berlin Global Forum for Food and Agriculture
Agri-Health / AMR / Animal Diseases / Animal Health / Animal Production / Crop Residues / Crop-Livestock / Directorate / Drought / Drylands / Environment / Event Report / Food Security / Germany / ILRI / Insurance / Nutrition / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Spotlight

Towards a sustainable, responsible and efficient livestock sector—Jimmy Smith at the Berlin Global Forum for Food and Agriculture

A delegation from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) was involved in several of this year’s GFFA events, including a kick-off event, with ILRI Director General Jimmy Smith serving on the panel. Continue reading

Largest-ever micro-insurance payout made to Ethiopian pastoralists
Africa / Agriculture / CCAFS / Climate Change / CRPs / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event Report / IBLI / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Pro-Poor Livestock / SLS / Story Type

Largest-ever micro-insurance payout made to Ethiopian pastoralists

More than 2,250 pastoralists received insurance payouts following the extremely poor rains this year in southern Ethiopia. Low levels of rainfall have led to the loss of approximately 300,000 livestock in 2017 in the Borana zone of the southern Oromia region. The insurance payouts of more than ETB5.233 million (USD220,000) was the largest-ever micro-insurance indemnity made in Ethiopia. Each insured pastoralist received an average of ETB2,255 (USD96), which will allow the herders to purchase feeds for their surviving animals and to restock their herds. Continue reading

ILRI’s Index-Based Livestock Insurance and Takaful Insurance of Africa win ‘2017 Insurance Innovation Award’
Award / Drought / East Africa / IBLI / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Pastoralism / Pro-Poor Livestock / SLS / Spotlight

ILRI’s Index-Based Livestock Insurance and Takaful Insurance of Africa win ‘2017 Insurance Innovation Award’

ILRI’s Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) program and Takaful Insurance of Africa are this year’s winners of the prestigious Insurance Innovations Award 2017. The announcement was made at the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re)’s Insurance Awards gala dinner held on Monday 22 May 2017, at the Serena Kigo Hotel, in Kampala, Uganda. Continue reading

The legacy of Norman Borlaug: Alive and well at the International Livestock Research Institute
Africa / Agriculture / BecA / Capacity Strengthening / CGIAR / Directorate / Event Report / Food Security / ILRI / ILRIComms / Insurance / Research / SLS / Spotlight

The legacy of Norman Borlaug: Alive and well at the International Livestock Research Institute

ILRI was honoured by a visit this week to ILRI by Julie Borlaug (left) and Jeannie Borlaug Laube, granddaugher and daughter of Norman Borlaug, respectively. Continue reading

CGIAR livestock support is enhancing community resilience in the face of on-going drought in the Horn of Africa
CGIAR / Climate Change / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Ethiopia / Event / Food Security / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / LIVESTOCKCRP / Pastoralism / PIL / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Project / Rangelands / Resilience / SLS / Somalia / South Sudan / Spotlight / Sudan / Trade / Vulnerability

CGIAR livestock support is enhancing community resilience in the face of on-going drought in the Horn of Africa

Widespread drought conditions in the Horn of Africa have intensified since the failure of the Oct–Dec 2016 rains. Areas of greatest concern cover much of Somalia, northeast and coastal Kenya, southeast Ethiopia and the Afar region, and South Sudan, which faces a serious food crisis due to protracted insecurity. One focus of the East African-headquartered International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is to help developing-country livestock communities enhance their resilience in the face of recurring droughts. ILRI belongs to CGIAR—a global research partnership of 15 centres and their partners working yo reduce poverty, enhance food and nutrition security and improve natural resources and ecosystem services. Continue reading

Record payouts being made by Kenya Government and insurers to protect herders facing historic drought
Camels / Cattle / CCAFS / Climate Change / Drought / Drylands / East Africa / Event Report / Goats / ILRI / Insurance / Kenya / Launch / Pastoralism / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Rangelands / Resilience / Scaling / Sheep / SLS / Small Ruminants / Spotlight / Vulnerability / Water

Record payouts being made by Kenya Government and insurers to protect herders facing historic drought

More than Ksh214 million is on tap for 12,000 pastoral households in six counties of northern Kenya through innovative policies that use satellite imagery to trigger payments for feed, veterinary supplies and water. Continue reading