A recent article by Katarina Zimmer in The Scientist examines how close we are to developing a vaccine to prevent African swine fever (ASF). It contains an extended discussion of the work of Lucilla Steinaa, an immunologist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Steinaa has been focusing on the specific types of the swine … Continue reading
Category Archives: Story Type
How a deadly outbreak unveiled the key to safer food
A recent article by Nancy Averett in Scientific African Magazine discusses how incidents of food poisoning in African cities may public awareness of food safety and kindle a citizens’ movement for safer foods. It focuses in part on the work of ILRI’s Delia Grace: Food safety researchers like Delia Grace of the International Livestock Research Institute, … Continue reading
African swine fever ten years on: the lessons learned and the way forward
An interview with Dirk Pfeiffer, François Roger, Linda Dixon and Dieter Schillinger to better understand existing knowledge gaps between research findings managing the spread of African swine fever and actionable solutions. 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
In Mali, an old vaccine can be a new way to fight poverty
Scientists working at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have found a way to significantly increase the vaccination coverage of goats and sheep in the Sahel against one of the most common and widely feared animal diseases—the peste des petits ruminants (PPR) or ovine rinderpest—a viral infection which is endemic to the region and kills … Continue reading