Category Archives: Policy

India’s smallholder farmers are having a ‘livestock moment’
Animal Production / Animal Products / Consumption / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / India / Intensification / Livelihoods / Livestock Systems / Policy / Presentation / Pro-Poor Livestock / South Asia / Spotlight

India’s smallholder farmers are having a ‘livestock moment’

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Jimmy Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), gave one of three keynote presentations at the recent Agricultural Research Congress, held in Karnal, India, at the National Dairy Research Institute, from 3 to 6 Feb 2015. Continue reading →

Lavish new pictorial book honours the world’s primary food producer–the family farmer
Agri-Health / Books and Chapters / Consumption / Crop-Livestock / Farming Systems / Food Security / FSZ / Gender / Human Health / ILRI / ILRIComms / Intensification / Livelihoods / Livestock Systems / Nutrition / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Spotlight / Women

Lavish new pictorial book honours the world’s primary food producer–the family farmer

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Livestock matters a great deal in developing countries, playing an increasingly important role in food security and economic development. In fact, the livestock subsector is growing faster than all other agriculture sectors in developing countries worldwide. And importantly in the International Year of Family Farming, the bulk of that livestock production is occurring on small family farms. Livestock farming offers unique features to support local livelihoods and economies, especially for women. Continue reading →

One-for-all and all-for-one: Breaking down the walls between the livestock, health and environmental sectors
A4NH / Agri-Health / Canada / Directorate / Disease Control / Emerging Diseases / Environment / Epidemiology / Food Safety / Food Security / FSZ / Human Health / ILRI / ILRI40 / NRM / Policy / Presentation / Pro-Poor Livestock / Spotlight / Zoonotic Diseases

One-for-all and all-for-one: Breaking down the walls between the livestock, health and environmental sectors

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In case you missed it, here is the gist of a keynote presentation on ‘one-health’ made by Jimmy Smith, the director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), at the 5th biennial conference of the International Association for Ecology & Health, held in Montreal, Canada, 11−15 Aug 2014. Smith’s presentation was titled: ‘Healthy people, animals and ecosystems for global food and nutritional security’. Continue reading →

The politics of food and the livelihoods from livestock
Books and Chapters / Directorate / Food Security / ILRI / Livelihoods / Policy / Poverty / Pro-Poor Livestock / Spotlight

The politics of food and the livelihoods from livestock

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This January, Oxford University Press is publishing The Oxford Handbook of Food, Politics, and Society, a 904-page hardback volume addressing an issue that affects all of us: the intersection of food and politics. Among the 49 chapter authors of this new handbook are two members of staff at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) who left the institute recently: Purvi Mehta-Bhatt and Pier Paulo Ficarelli. Their chapter covers ‘livestock in the food debate’. Continue reading →

Animal agriculture research director envisions developing-world livestock sector in 2054
Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Animal Products / Biotechnology / Directorate / Event Report / ILRI / ILRI40 / Intensification / Livestock Systems / Policy / Pro-Poor Livestock / Research / Spotlight

Animal agriculture research director envisions developing-world livestock sector in 2054

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Jimmy Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), provided a vision of what livestock production in the developing world will look like in 2054, 40 years from now. He presented this on the first of a two-day conference being held this week (6–7 Nov 2014) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to mark the 40-year anniversary of ILRI. Continue reading →

ILRI turns 40: Nairobi headquarters marks the anniversary
Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Diseases / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Capacity Strengthening / Directorate / Event Report / Food Security / ILRI / ILRI40 / Innovation Systems / Insurance / Markets / Policy / Research / Spotlight

ILRI turns 40: Nairobi headquarters marks the anniversary

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Highlights of the 40-year anniversary event of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) held at the institute’s headquarters in the Kabete suburb of Nairobi, Kenya, last week (1 Oct 2014). Continue reading →

ILRI at the CGIAR Development Dialogues: A ‘Storify’ collection of highlights
A4NH / Capacity Strengthening / CapDev / Event Report / Food Security / FSZ / Human Health / ILRI / Knowledge and Information / LIVESTOCKFISH / North America / Participation / Policy / SLS / Spotlight / USA

ILRI at the CGIAR Development Dialogues: A ‘Storify’ collection of highlights

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Click on the slides below to view a ‘Storify’ collection of highlights of inputs and outputs of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) at the CGIAR Development Dialogues, held at Columbia University, in New York City, last week (25 Sep 2014). Continue reading →

Realpolitik–Nairobi ‘Community of Practice’ communicators get real practice impacting policymakers
Agriculture / CapDev / East Africa / Environment / ILRI / ILRIComms / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / Policy / Spotlight

Realpolitik–Nairobi ‘Community of Practice’ communicators get real practice impacting policymakers

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A community of practice for communications staff in research and development organizations (DevComms CoP) based in Nairobi participated in a ‘Science Communications for Policy Impact’ workshop following a conference, ‘Landscapes for People, Food and Nature’, at ICRAF on 3 July 2014. Continue reading →

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 →

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 →