This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ”Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” It is aimed at celebrating the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. At ILRI, we sought to mark the day by reflecting on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women and the leadership strategies they are implementing to manage the situation. Continue reading
Category Archives: Ethiopia
Using the livestock master plan process to boost investment in livestock development
The livestock master plan process supports countries to develop a livestock sector strategy and livestock commodity specific roadmaps using a set of analytical tools. The livestock master plan is then incorporated in national agriculture investment plans. Continue reading
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
Strengthening gender capacities for organizational effectiveness
This video highlights some of the results of a three-year initiative (2015-17) by ILRI and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) to strengthen the gender capacities of local partners in Ethiopia. Continue reading
Empowering researchers to undertake gender responsive agricultural research in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research organized a seven-day staff training workshop in August 2018 which focused on addressing the identified gender capacity needs among researchers and top management. A total of 24 gender focal persons were trained. Continue reading
Understanding the dynamics of empowerment among rural women in Ethiopia
Local sociocultural norms and an individual’s ability to meet socially constructed roles determine our understanding of the ‘empowerment’ of women and men in rural communities. These were the findings of a study in Ethiopia that tested the suitability of an existing survey-based Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index’s (WEAI) domains and indicators. Continue reading
Value chains learning hubs workshop: co-creating solutions for eastern and southern Africa
On 31 October and 1 November 2017, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), welcomed over 20 value chains professionals and experts in ILRI’s Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) campus to discuss the current value chains situation and to work together on defining a path forward. Continue reading
Stakeholder involvement, knowledge, and gender norms key for effective rainwater management
A three-year Nile Basin Development Challenge Program running from 2010-2013 piloted an integrated RWM approach that combined technologies/practices, policies and institutions and involved multiple stakeholders. Researchers from ILRI conducted a study to establish the effect of this integrated RWM approach on stakeholders’ knowledge, attitudes, skills and practices. Continue reading
Gender perceptions of resource ownership and their implications for food security among rural livestock owners
A newly published paper discusses the variability of local understanding of ownership based on seven areas related to livestock farming. This variability has significant implications on intra-household roles, decision-making and ultimately food security. Continue reading
Solving gender issue – solving food security
Kathleen Earl Coverson has served as senior gender scientist for the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and currently works as associate director for international programs at the University of Florida. A journalist with The Reporter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, caught up with her while she was conducting the workshop at ILRI campus during which she shared … Continue reading