African countries need accurate estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to work out sustainable livestock farming approaches. But inaccurate estimates can result if livestock emissions are not tailored using regional-specific…
African countries need accurate estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to work out sustainable livestock farming approaches. But problems can arise if livestock emissions have usually been calculated using data and methods…
For indigenous pastoralist groups like the Ilchamus, Pokot and Tugen in Baringo County, Kenya, life is governed by when and whether the rains will come. Weather forecasting is therefore an essential part of their planning and decision…
On 14 May 2024, stakeholders from Ethiopia explored the transformative impact of digital innovations on agri-food systems. Hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the workshop they attended—Digital Innovations to…
The livestock question is both complex and highly polarized, said Tara Garnett, the director of TABLE—a collaboration between six universities that looks at debates in and around the future of food. She was introducing a panel discussion…
A comprehensive integrated herd health management manual for the Kenyan dairy sector is being created by a team of researchers from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Kenyan government, and private sector…
New guidelines to support African governments to improve food safety across the continent’s vast informal food sector are set to be developed for the first time.
As we join the celebrations for World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2024, my memory takes me back to some of my favorite foods growing up including meat (and bushmeat) and fish-based dishes. These were available and affordable for all segments…
World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2024, will emphasize the importance of preparing for food safety incidents. These incidents, which pose health risks linked to food consumption, can arise from various causes including accidents,…
Ethiopia has long grappled with the challenge of malnutrition, especially among children under the age of two. According to the 2019 Demographic and Health Mini-Survey, 37 per cent of children under five years old were stunted (too short…
Ethiopia’s dairy sector boasts vast and diverse agroecologies complemented by a rich genetic pool of livestock. This, coupled with the surge in domestic demand for milk and milk products, improved market opportunities and accessibility to…
New research has revealed the health and economic impacts of foodborne diseases in Ethiopia, as well as the challenges and opportunities for improving food safety in the country. The research was conducted by six food safety research…
Flying a mere 9 meters above the grasslands at Kapiti, ILRI’s Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy, a drone not only took pictures of the landscape and livestock inhabitants, but was also measuring methane emissions from herds of…
The Ukama Ustawi (U2) initiative recently convened successful field days in Murehwa and Shamva districts, Zimbabwe, to promote livestock production and diversified maize-based agriculture systems which are managed under sustainable…
In large parts of sub-humid Africa including Zimbabwe, maize is the main source of livelihood for smallholder farmers who often consider it as a staple and cash crop.
A groundbreaking initiative for enhancing community and ecosystem resilience is taking shape in Mali's central and northern regions. In the ongoing endeavour of the Mali Resilience Challenge Fund program, funded by the United States Agency…
Forty-five unemployed youth from four cities in Ethiopia have received training in the chicken meat frying business (photo credit: ILRI/Shahida Hussien).
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) marked the 40th anniversary of its Forage Genebank, which is dedicated to the conservation and use of global forage genetic resources, on 15 May 2024.
In Zambia, women play a major role in agriculture and constitute much of the labour force for cash crop production and home consumption. In Chilayabale area of Chongwe district in Zambia, a group of women founded Tuyumepo Women Cooperative…
“Arid zones are not dead zones. They are areas full of life, full of challenges, challenges that are constantly changing. That’s why the responses must also be dynamic.” Colette Benoudji, ODI researcher.
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) partnered with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) to impart genomics and bioinformatics skills to…
In February 2023, a significant milestone was marked in Accra, Ghana, as the Africa RISING Program concluded its ambitious 12-year mission with a comprehensive close-out event. This program, which spanned the diverse landscapes of East and…
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has launched the second phase of its ‘Enabling a resilient and prosperous community through participatory agroecological practices in the semiarid region of central Tanzania’ (ResComm…
As part of a multi-institutional effort to address the challenge of poultry disease in Ghana, scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Roslin Institute recently took part in a second Group Model…
Getting science innovations out of the labs and into the hands of millions of smallholder farmers across the global South is crucial in development work. In October 2023, CGIAR orchestrated a dynamic week-long event titled 'The Science and…
The mid-term review of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)-led Asian Chicken Genetics Gains (AsCGG) project has shown it has successfully improved smallholder poultry systems in Cambodia and Vietnam. Now, the Australian…
Growing up in the semi-arid and marginalized western side of Beitbridge District, Zimbabwe, like many youths in the region Dellington Mabina sought better opportunities across the border in South Africa, leaving behind traditional…
As we jumped up and down on the bumpy roads at Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy, our team was on a quest to map the different soil types across the conservancy. We were headed on what we coined a ''Soil Safari.”
Kenyan authorities issued an alert for Rift Valley fever (RVF) on 24 January 2023 following the confirmation of a human case in Marsabit County, spurring preparations in neighbouring Isiolo County.