Beyond the well-documented rise in global temperatures, climate change is precipitating a grave public health crisis. Northern Kenya, a region already experiencing harsh environmental changes, is feeling the brunt of this crisis as diseases spread by insects, particularly those borne by mosquitoes, escalate rapidly. But a remarkable research project is taking shape in this vast, dry terrain, as researchers work
To help smallholder farmers make better agricultural decisions and reduce the negative effects of climate variability, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and partners have developed and piloted a method that delivers context-specific climate agro-advisories in Kongwa District, Tanzania. This effort, linked to the World Bank-funded Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa project, aims to increase resilience and sustainability
On 15 August 2023, the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS) hosted the stakeholders’ workshop, ‘Policy Coherence in Food, Land and Water Systems in Kenya,’ at the International Livestock Research Insititute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Kenya. The aim of the workshop was to review and make recommendations to the ‘Draft Flagship Policy Analysis Report’ that analysed the coherence of
On the outskirts of Kenya’s Rift Valley town of Eldoret, many locals make money by selling fresh cow’s milk. Vendor Winnie Cherono (‘Mama Chumba’), who sells an assortment of staples from a small hole-in-the-wall kiosk, says her fresh milk is popular because it tastes better – and is healthier and cheaper – than the ultra-heat-treated (UHT) packaged alternative, which retails
The CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity is testing an integrated herd health package to assess its impact on pig productivity in Uganda. The innovation package comprising herd health, improved genetics and feeding was co-designed with stakeholders during feedback and co-creation workshops held in September 2022. As part of the trials, model farms under the management of pig farmer groups
Researchers in Vietnam have provided evidence of the potential of low-cost interventions in reducing microbial contamination in small-scale pig slaughterhouses and traditional pork shops. In a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, a team led by Ngo Hoang Tuan Hai, co-hosted by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Hanoi University of Public Health, shed light on
Early September witnessed a flurry of significant events that underscored the urgency of addressing sustainability challenges within Africa’s food systems. The Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week, alongside the Africa Food Systems Forum, highlighted the crucial need for a sustainable and nature-positive transformation in food production. Africa’s food systems are grappling with interconnected productivity and sustainability challenges. Efforts to make them more efficient
Twenty-five scientists from eastern and central Africa have benefitted from training to identify, isolate, conserve and improve poultry genetic resources, which are key measures in protecting and enhancing the value of Africa’s indigenous chickens. The avian reproductive biotechnology training workshop was held on 4–9 September 2023 at the National Animal Genetic Resource Centre and Data Bank in Entebbe, Uganda. The