A particularly sane, sensible and equitable news report—one that takes an uncommon global perspective about optimal meat consumption—reviews recent diet guidelines recommended by some of the world’s foremost scientists in diet-, health- and environment-related fields and published in a leading medical journal. Continue reading
A team of researchers investigating chicken diseases in Ethiopia has discovered that there is far greater genetic diversity in that seemingly nondescript bird than meets the eye, a discovery that could help boost the productivity of small-scale chicken farms throughout Africa. The study was published in this month’s issue of Nature Sustainability by scientists from … Continue reading
A new research paper published by scientists of the Mazingira Centre (‘mazingira’ means ‘environment’ in Swahili) of the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) reports evidence that greenhouse gas emissions from dung patches in developing countries are ‘likely highly overestimated’ in global livestock emissions estimates. Continue reading
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) leads the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) livestock compact, members of which recently met with a USD500-million public-private partnership in Nigeria established to ‘de-risk’ agricultural financing by providing many of the actors along the country’s agricultural value chains with affordable financing. TAAT is targeting 3–5 million farmers in the country. Continue reading
Long feared, it’s now finally happened. African swine fever (ASF), an infectious and highly lethal viral disease of pigs, has for the first time reared its head in China. Just two weeks ago, African swine fever was confirmed as the cause of death of pigs on a small farm in Shenyang City, in Liaoning Province, located in the northeast, bordering North Korea and the Yellow Sea. Continue reading
Farmers who participate in the breeding programs and collect routine data on their cows’ health, growth and productivity receive personalized coaching and advice from livestock outreach specialists via routine visits and SMS messages on their phones. Continue reading
Agricultural researchers working to enhance traditional pasture conservation by Tanzania’s pastoral Maasai communities are systematically addressing gendered norms and roles to ensure that they don’t end up hurting more than helping these communities. Continue reading
