A new guest blog article published yesterday (27 Feb 2020) on the website of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) argues that weak infrastructure would leave urban settlements in low-income countries highly vulnerable should the rapid spread of COVID-19 continue. Continue reading
Category Archives: Spotlight
A tool for all seasons: A ‘lean’ household survey system for ‘minimal effort, maximum information’ comes of age
Out this week is the first public release of a huge dataset generated by recent surveys of more than 13,000 households in 21 countries using RHoMIS, a novel tool that makes household surveys efficient, robust and comparable. Continue reading
Tribute to Azage Tegegne, leading Ethiopian livestock scientist
It is with as much shock as sorrow that we report the untimely death of Azage Tegegne, a leading Ethiopian livestock scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) who retired from ILRI just last June after more than 30 years of distinguished service to the institute. Azage died after a short illness in his home country, Ethiopia, on 12 January 2020. Continue reading
Livestock story-telling at ILRI—Part 2: Ekta Patel, Maasai ‘Fly Girl’
My name is Ekta Patel. I’m communications manager for ILRI’s Bioscience Directorate. I’m an unusual species. I come from an Indian background, but while most Indians in East Africa go into business, I had a passion for molecular biology and became a scientist. Continue reading
Livestock story-telling at ILRI—Part 1: Introduction, ‘Descending into the particular’
The 2019 institutional program meeting of ILRI tried out something new. Nine staff members were asked to present to the 200 hundred or so ILRI staff attending the meeting a short, personal story about how they were helping ILRI to achieve one of its five ‘critical success factors’. Continue reading
Two animated shorts on practical steps to improve animal welfare and reduce drug resistance in poor countries
Start this new year (and decade) right. Watch these two little animated films for practical advice on how to prevent both animal suffering and the spread of drug resistance in germs of people and livestock. Continue reading
Happy New Year! Here’s a baker’s dozen of ILRI’s top livestock communications in 2019
A baker’s dozen of our favourite communications in 2019 are listed and linked to below, in case you missed them. Continue reading
A tribute to Jean Ndikumana, a ‘gentle giant’ in African livestock research for development
The board, directors and staff of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) mourn the passing of a former colleague and lifelong friend—Jean Ndikumana, a plant and forage breeder by discipline who was born and raised in the Republic of Burundi and who became an exceptional leader in pan-African agricultural research for development. Dr Ndikumana died on 5 December 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya. Continue reading
Antimicrobial Resistance through the eyes of the journalists in Kenya
In the lead up to the World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019 (#WAAW2019), which is celebrated every year in November, the CGIAR AMR Hub at the International Livestock research Institute (ILRI) jointly with Kenya’s ministries of Health and Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation hosted, at the ILRI campus in Nairobi, a media sensitization on raising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) … Continue reading
University of Illinois bestows its 2019 International Alumni Award on ILRI chief Jimmy Smith
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has bestowed its Madhuri and Jagdish N Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement on Jimmy W Smith, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Established in 2000, this annual university award recognizes its international alumni who are highly distinguished in their profession, have made outstanding contributions to government, humanity, science, art, or human welfare, and exemplify the strength of their education at Illinois. Continue reading