ILRI-IFPRI research team discusses efforts to control avian influenza threat in developing countries

Researchers from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) convened a consultation in Nairobi from 14 to 16 June 2006 to explore how research can support efforts to control the highly contagious avian influenza, with special emphasis on the needs of developing countries and the poor. The consultation is a response to requests from donors on priorities for targeting their research investments for Asia and Africa.

The consultation had four main objectives:

• To share the experiences of those in the front-line of avian influenza outbreaks to provide a realistic, objective, and up-to-date backdrop for the consultation.
• To identify and prioritize immediate service needs that research can provide in support of preparedness and emergency responses.
• To identify and prioritize medium- and long-term research needs.
• To develop an action plan and decide how to put it in place, including the possibility of forming an inter-institutional task force.

Following the consultation, ILRI proposes to undertake a rapid appraisal study to review experiences of avian influenza outbreaks to date, synthesize lessons learned regarding the dynamics of the disease and the impacts of its control in developing countries, and identify strategies for enhancing control that also protect the livelihoods of the poor.