A new study on antimicrobial use in poultry farms in Senegal has analysed the effects of vaccination, attitudes towards antimicrobial resistance, and biosecurity practices on antimicrobial use, animal mortality and farm productivity. Antimicrobial resistance is a rising threat to global human health and is driven in large part by the use of antimicrobials in livestock production. Reducing the use of
In the face of climate and economic uncertainty, reframing the narrative to better include pastoralism in development policy is paramount for creating sustainable and equitable food systems. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this was core to the conversation as policymakers, public officials, pastoralist representatives, experts and researchers convened for a three-day workshop in March 2023. Their mission was to explore how
In Saptari, Nepal, one family’s greatest challenges in keeping buffalo are low market prices and mastitis, an infection in the udder that reduces milk yield. Down the road is the only dairy cooperative in the area. Serving 620 farmers, this cooperative buys and sells milk but cannot provide adequate health and feed services to farmers. Saptari is one of the
A study published in the April 2023 issue of Current Developments in Nutrition has put forth new empirical evidence on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in behaviour and government restrictions in Kenya on dairy supply chains and urban and peri-urban household food access. The study focused on milk sold in informal markets and examined changes in milk sales, consumption
Mentorship plays a fundamental role in the lives of young people, providing them with the connections, skills and opportunities necessary to succeed in their personal and professional lives. Throughout his career, Wellington Ekaya, head of Capacity Development at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has epitomized what it means to be a transformational mentor for young people. Over the course
A One Health approach for improved food safety, food security and sustainable food systems was explored by the 4th Global Conference of the Sustainable Food System Programme (SFSP) of the One Planet Network on 26 April 2023. About 40 delegates from 15 countries came to visit the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)-led One Health field site in Thai Nguyen Province,
Scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute and research partners from Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania have developed a faster and cheaper way to generate genomic data on the Rift Valley fever virus, the pathogen that causes Rift Valley fever. The new molecular tool could support near real-time genomic-based surveillance, allowing for a faster response to Rift Valley fever
East Coast fever (ECF) is a deadly cattle disease caused by the tick-borne parasite Theileria parva. Up to 50 million cattle in east, central and southern Africa are at risk of ECF, affecting 20 million smallholder livestock keepers who depend on cattle as a source of income and livelihood. A vaccine against ECF, referred to as the Infection and Treatment