ILRI reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on women leaders in marking the IWD 2021

Posted on Monday 8 March 2021 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

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 →

Diet / East Africa / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Nutrition / PIL / policy / Research / Rwanda

Social and behaviour change improves milk consumption for Rwanda’s children

Posted on Wednesday 10 February 2021 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

Using revised counselling cards with culturally appropriate messages and images targeting the pregnant and lactating women with children under five years of age, fathers and caregivers, has led to positive behaviour changes at home. Continue reading →

Capacity strengthening / East Africa / Gender / Innovation Systems / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Markets / PIL / Project / Research / Uganda / Value Chains

Addressing Uganda’s pig value chain constraints, the PigSmart way

Posted on Tuesday 8 December 2020 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

The ILRI-led MorePORK II project focuses on developing the capacity of value chain actors in best-bet interventions through an information and communications and technology (ICT) platform known as PigSmart. Continue reading →

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

Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2020 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

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 →

Article / Bangladesh / East Africa / Ethiopia / India / Innovation Systems / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / Research / Southeast Asia / Value Chains

Unravelling value chains through participatory modelling

Posted on Friday 28 June 2019 by Judy Kimani • 2 Comments

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 →

Agriculture / Capacity strengthening / East Africa / Kenya / Knowledge and Information / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / Research

Nurturing a network of policy analysts in Kenyan agriculture

Posted on Tuesday 19 March 2019 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

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 →

Capacity strengthening / East Africa / Ethiopia / Film and Video / Gender / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / Research / Value Chains

Strengthening gender capacities for organizational effectiveness

Posted on Wednesday 6 February 2019 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

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 →

Article / East Africa / Impact Assessment / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / Research / Value Chains

Assessing Somaliland’s bone and tallow value chains role towards economic growth

Posted on Friday 25 January 2019 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

Both the bone and tallow value chains are short, use low-value inputs, produce relatively low-valued products and are complementary. To better harness their potential contribution to improved economic growth, the study recommends that value addition should be adopted. This can be achieved by slaughtering, processing and exporting chilled carcasses/packaged meat and by investing in the transformation and processing of livestock by-products like hides and skins, and bones, tallow and horns. Continue reading →

East Africa / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Markets / PIL / policy / Project / Value Chains / Vulnerability

Business-to-business forums spur economic growth in northern Kenya

Posted on Wednesday 5 December 2018 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has been partnering and collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) East Africa Trade and Investment Hub (EATIH) under the Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG) to hold livestock trade facilitation (business-to-business) forums in five Kenyan counties. This initiative has been implemented in Nairobi, Marsabit, Wajir and Isiolo counties to promote more efficient trade between livestock buyers, sellers and producers. Continue reading →

Dairying / East Africa / Gender / Gender news / Impact Assessment / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / PIL / policy / SLS / Women

Achieving gender-equitable outcomes in low emissions development initiatives in the Kenyan dairy sector

Posted on Monday 26 November 2018 by Judy Kimani • Leave a comment

Achieving global goals of lowering livestock’s greenhouse gas emissions is hinged on changing the practices (feeding, herd management and manure management) of smallholder households. Animal husbandry is characterized by gendered division of labour, resource control and decision-making power, with men mainly claiming ownership of animals while women provide labour. Farmers worldwide are known to be motivated to adopt practices that enhance productivity and profitability. Continue reading →