Nurturing young scientists to inform agricultural development, food security and nutrition policies in Kenya
Agriculture / Capacity strengthening / East Africa / Event / Kenya / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / Research

Nurturing young scientists to inform agricultural development, food security and nutrition policies in Kenya

This initiative builds on a renewed interest in promoting agricultural production and food security through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which seeks to fight poverty, end hunger and spur economic growth around the agriculture sector. Being able to understand and effect the policy changes required in the agriculture sector especially through evidence-based policy research interventions, is crucial. The CAADP therefore recognizes and emphasizes the need to strengthen capabilities, as well as the policy and institutional environments required to trigger agricultural transformation. Continue reading

Power through: a new concept in the women empowerment discourse
Agriculture / Capacity strengthening / Gender / Kenya / Livelihoods / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / Publication / Research / Tanzania / Women

Power through: a new concept in the women empowerment discourse

The paper ‘Power through: A new concept in the empowerment discourse’ by Alessandra Galiè, a senior gender scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Cathy Rozel Farnworth, an independent researcher, offers a new perspective on the role of ‘power through’ in women’s empowerment. Continue reading

Cambodia’s Safe Food, Fair Food project addresses major food safety issues
A4NH / AHH / Animal Health / Article / Cambodia / Food Safety / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Nutrition / PIL / policy / Research / Southeast Asia

Cambodia’s Safe Food, Fair Food project addresses major food safety issues

A research project in Cambodia is evaluating the economic burden of food-borne diseases in animal-source food value chains that are important to the poor, and it is piloting a market-based approach to improving food safety that builds on projects successfully implemented by ILRI in Africa and Asia Continue reading

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling: part 3
ILRI / Innovation Systems / Interview / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Markets / PIL / Research / Southeast Asia / Value Chains

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling: part 3

We have been using the participatory system dynamics modelling technique to map out the pig and paddy value chains in Myeik and Palaw townships in southern Myanmar. Through the involvement of value chain actors in group modelling, it became evident that small-scale pig farmers are in effect ‘price takers’, exerting limited influence on the price of live pigs. Continue reading

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling: part 2
Article / Bangladesh / Gender / India / Innovation Systems / Interview / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / Research / South Asia / Value Chains

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling: part 2

The MINI project is investigating how to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables in nutritionally vulnerable markets in Bihar, India. The barriers to this goal are numerous, ranging from the inferior prices offered to farmers in smaller markets, to the typically weaker purchasing power of rural consumers. Continue reading

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling
Article / Bangladesh / East Africa / Ethiopia / India / Innovation Systems / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / Research / Southeast Asia / Value Chains

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling

Recently, ILRI and partners have implemented participatory processes in the construction of SD models. Such techniques (termed “group model building” or “mediated modelling”) involve the careful organization of several focus group sessions with 10-15 value chain stakeholders. The participants articulate value chain problems, structure, and data that are then used to parametrize working models from which scenarios can be jointly developed and discussed. Continue reading

National livestock sector policies and planning under a changing global economy
Africa / CCAFS / Climate Change / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / Report / South Asia / Southeast Asia / Value Chains / West Africa

National livestock sector policies and planning under a changing global economy

The production and demand of livestock derived foods (LDFs) could change substantially in the future in many LMICs following major changes in global economic and climate conditions. A recent report assesses a standard global model’s projections of livestock production and the demand for LDFs in Ethiopia, Niger, Rwanda, Cambodia, Nepal and Burkina Faso in 2050. Continue reading

Nurturing a network of policy analysts in Kenyan agriculture
Agriculture / Capacity strengthening / East Africa / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / Research

Nurturing a network of policy analysts in Kenyan agriculture

A new initiative in Kenya is seeking to empower scientists to be better translators of their research, with the aim of making agricultural policies and practices more science-based. It is implemented by ILRI in collaboration with Africa’s Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) and the Swedish-funded program Agriculture for Food Security 2030 (AgriFoSe2030). Continue reading