Flying a mere nine metres above the grasslands at Kapiti, the International Livestock Research Institute (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 ruminants (camels, goats, cows and sheep that digest plant-based food in a specialized stomach, resulting in methane production
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) partnered with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine to impart genomics and bioinformatics skills to public health scientists from 12 African countries during an intensive hands-on training workshop held on 6–17 May 2024 at the ILRI Nairobi campus. Genomics and bioinformatics are useful tools for
A new podcast mini-series, Dynamic Drylands, is taking a fresh look at aid, development and resilience in the drylands of Africa and the Middle East, and features several scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute as contributors. As climate change forces new, complex challenges on the millions of farmers and herders who live in these regions, they are responding. Broadcaster
The International Livestock Research Institute has launched the second phase of its Enabling a resilient and prosperous community through participatory agroecological practices in the semi-arid region of central Tanzania project (ResComm II). Aiming to improve food and nutritional security using community-based agroecological approaches, the project is being integrated into Tanzania government initiatives. Dodoma Region, where the project is based, is
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. The program, which spanned the diverse landscapes of east and southern Africa, the Ethiopian Highlands, and West Africa, has notably enriched the lives of smallholder farmers, bolstered national agricultural research systems, and significantly advanced
As part of a multi-institutional effort to address the challenge of poultry disease in Ghana, scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute and the Roslin Institute recently took part in a second Group Model Building workshop in Accra. The workshop was part of a project on socio-economic and mathematical modeling of poultry genetics and diseases known as the Marek’s disease
Kenyan authorities issued an alert for Rift Valley fever on 24 January 2023 following the confirmation of a human case in Marsabit County, spurring preparations in neighbouring Isiolo County. Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonosis primarily affecting domestic animals, such as sheep, goats and camels. Humans can be infected by direct or indirect contact with the blood or body
The midterm review of the International Livestock Research Institute-led Asian Chicken Genetics Gains project has showcased success in improving smallholder poultry systems in Cambodia and Vietnam. As a result, funding through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been granted to expand the project to Pacific countries. The project’s success and scalability have resulted in further funding from