ILRI report quantifies demand for improved quality and safety of livestock products among urban Bangladeshi consumers

Demand for animal products has been increasing rapidly in Bangladesh due to urbanization and increases in per capita income.

There are rudimentary indications that demand for improved food quality and safety has also been increasing and that consumers were willing to pay higher prices for such attributes of products.

However, there is little empirical evidence on the criteria and indicators of quality and safety that consumers use in their buying decisions, or that suppliers use in differentiating products to promote sales, or the extent to which consumers are willing to pay for such attributes.

This study is the first attempt to comprehensively characterize and quantify Bangladeshi urban demand for animal products with a focus on quality and safety.

Based on a multi-stage sample survey of 900 households from Dhaka and Mymensingh cities, successive analyses present statements of preference based on ratings, identified quality criteria, stated sources of supply and recent purchasing behaviour both at home and away from home, and econometric analysis of relationships between price ratings and quality ratings across attributes, so as to generate willingness to pay for those attributes.

The findings show that officially defined grades and quality standards of livestock products are either absent or poorly defined and enforced.

On the other hand, producers and consumers in the market use specific attributes or criteria and indicators to differentiate quality and safety of livestock products and they also charge and pay different prices based on those attributes.

Although targeted at urban populations, considerable variation between locations in terms of the product preferences and attributes used to differentiate quality was identified.

Establishment of standards and grades will become necessary to meet consumer demand on the one hand and facilitate producers and market agents to respond to consumer demand on the other.

Whether smallholders will have any comparative advantage in supplying an expanding market requiring more homogenous and better quality and safer products need to be studied regularly along with studies on consumer demand because of the dynamic nature of the emerging and evolving market, the industry and the sector.

Access the report here.

Citation
Islam SMF and Jabbar MA. 2010. Consumer preferences and demand for livestock products in urban Bangladesh. ILRI Research Report No. 23. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya.

ILRI research report features case studies on consumer demand for livestock products in Africa and Asia

Rising developing country demand for livestock products propelled by income and population growth, and by urbanization offers poverty reduction opportunities to actors in the supply chain.

The increase in volumes demanded also features diversification and increased demand for quality attributes. Reliable food safety and information on animal husbandry and geographic origin have long been recognized as value-adding differentiation mechanisms in the developed world.

Anecdotal accounts suggest that this is also the case in developing countries.

However, little consistent rigorously researched evidence has been published on this subject.

This report presents results based on case studies conducted in a number of developing countries in Asia and Africa: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Tunisia, and Vietnam.

An overview of the theoretically consistent methods used and a synthesis of the results obtained in the various case studies are presented first followed by the case studies each describing a study of specific commodities in specific developing country locations.

A consistent set of results emerges, wherein consumers exhibit willingness to pay for quality and safety in animal-origin foods, and within which this willingness to pay is strongest amongst the wealthy and the urban dwellers.

However, the intricacy and variety of quality definition and measurement are demonstrated fully, as they occur between and within countries, commodity groups and other settings.

The key message from the results is the evidence that quality and safety considerations in products of animal origin food provide commercial opportunities for developing country producers, market actors and industry participants.

Access the report here.

Citation
Jabbar MA, Baker D and Fadiga ML. (eds). 2010. Demand for livestock products in developing countries with a focus on quality and safety attributes: Evidence from Asia and Africa. ILRI Research Report No. 24. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya.

Informal contract arrangements are an economic boost for Vietnam’s small-scale pig farmers

Farmer Ma Thi Puong feeds her pigs on her farm near the northern town of Meo Vac, Viet Nam. (Photo credit: ILRI/Mann)

The rapid growth in demand for pork in Vietnam presents an opportunity for rural pig-keeping households to improve their incomes. This project on contract farming for equitable market-oriented smallholder swine production in northern Vietnam sought to characterize the ‘true’ costs and benefits of contract farming of swine in northern Vietnam.

The ultimate objective was to understand the barriers to participation of smallholders in contract farming and other market arrangements and to identify a set of policy and intervention options that would facilitate profitable market-oriented livestock farming partnerships.

The project was carried out in four provinces of northern Vietnam that supply slaughter pigs to the Hanoi market: Bac Giang, Ha Tay, Thai Binh and Thanh Hoa. Selected case studies assessed a variety of institutional arrangements and provided information on marketing arrangements for pigs and pig products under different institutional forms, and on contractor strategies for targeting and selecting producers in Northern Vietnam.

Below are a few key highlights of the project findings.

Scale of production is a barrier to smallholder participation
Smallholder farmers keeping only a few pigs tended to be locked out of participating in formal contract arrangements primarily because contractors preferred to engage farmers with more than 50 sows and large-scale farms that generated outputs of more than 5 tonnes live weight per year.

Informal contract arrangements benefit smallholders
Informal contracts with co-operative societies can help small-scale farmers generate better returns in short-duration pig production systems such as production of crossbreeds under farrow-to-wean and grow-to-finish systems. However, for longer production cycles (farrow-to-finish), independent producers had higher returns to labour. The benefits of contract farming arrangements included lower transaction costs, protection from production and market risks, and access to quality inputs, services, financing, information and markets for outputs.

Informal contract arrangements are effective
Based on the comparison of returns to labour between farmers with and without contracts, informal contract arrangements were effective in facilitating economic returns from pig production by providing farmers with a number of benefits and services such as price discounts, technical assistance, market information, delivery of inputs to farm and collection of outputs from farm.

The project was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative (FAO-PPLPI) and administered by the Market Opportunities theme of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in collaboration with staff from Hanoi Agricultural University and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

For more information, please contact Dr Lucy Lapar of ILRI (l.lapar [at] cgiar.org).

In the news: Director of ILRI's market opportunities theme interviewed on Vietnam agriculture TV channel

Agricultural economist and director of the Market Opportunities Theme at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Dr Steve Staal, was interviewed on the Weekend Agro-Products Market programme on VTC-16, Vietnam’s Agriculture and Rural Development television channel.

Dr Staal was speaking during a workshop for an ILRI-led project aimed at improving the competitiveness of pig producers in an adjusting Vietnam market. The workshop was held on 5 October 2010 at the Melia Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam to mark the end of the project and to present research findings to stakeholders.

He highlighted the key findings of the project, noting that smallholder pig producers in Vietnam are indeed competitive and are likely to remain so, especially in light of projected future increases in consumer demand for fresh pork.

The three-year project (2007-2010) was sponsored by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The project collaborators were the Centre for Agricultural Policy - Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (CAP-IPSARD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxfam Hong Kong and the University of Queensland.

More information is available on the project website http://www.vietpigs.com.vn/

Pro-poor dairy development: Lessons learned from South Asia and East Africa shared at Ethiopia national dairy forum

Capacity building, research, value chain development, and policy and institutional interventions were among several issues discussed at a national dairy forum that was organized to deliberate on pragmatic approaches towards enhancing dairy development in Ethiopia.

The forum which was held on 23-24 November 2010 at Ghion Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia brought together key dairy stakeholders from Ethiopia and the eastern Africa region to share experiences and lessons learned in the development of pro-poor dairy policy. Participants also explored the key challenges, opportunities and interventions in the development of smallholder dairy.

Among the several presentations given at the forum was one by agricultural economist and director of ILRI's Market Opportunities Theme, Dr Steve Staal, that compared pro-poor dairy policy development in South Asia and East Africa and highlighted key lessons with regard to the role of traditional markets, technology and dairy co-operatives.

A comparison of dairy policy and development in South Asia and East Africa: lessons for a pro-poor dairy policy agenda

View more presentations from ILRI CGIAR.

Citation
Staal SJ. 2010. A comparison of dairy policy and development in South Asia and East Africa: Lessons for a pro-poor dairy policy agenda. Presentation at a National Dairy Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-24 November 2010.

Tool for management of Ankole cattle presented at meeting of international livestock experts

A body condition scoring system developed for Uganda's native Ankole cattle was presented during the 5th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25-28 October 2010.

The standardized body condition scoring system was featured in a poster by Dr Ellen Dierenfeld, Senior Manager, Africa R&D and Manager, Sustainability Programs Research at Novus International, and  Dr Ben Lukuyu, an animal feed scientist with ILRI's Market Opportunities Theme.

Novus International, a global developer of animal health and nutrition programs, is partnering with ILRI and others in the East Africa Dairy Development project being undertaken in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Body condition of dairy cattle affects their feeding efficiency, milk production and reproductive performance. For this reason, the scoring of body condition is an important management tool that can greatly assist livestock farmers to better manage their herds, especially at critical life stages such as early lactation and calving.

The body scoring system for Ankole cattle was developed based on information obtained from farmer interviews, literature reviews and body condition charts developed for other breeds. Based on feedback and inputs from farmers, the system will be refined in future, if needed.

Development of a standardized body condition score for native cattle in Uganda

View more presentations from ILRI CGIAR.

Citation
Dierenfeld ES and Lukuyu B. 2010. Development of a standardized body condition score for native cattle in Uganda. Poster presented at the 5th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture and the 18th Annual Meeting of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-28 October 2010.

International experts meet in Ethiopia to discuss strategies to improve efficiency of Africa’s livestock markets

Participants at the 5th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture held at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference Centre, 25-28 October 2010 (Photo: ILRI/Habtamu).

From 25 to 28 October 2010, leading international experts in animal agriculture gathered at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 5th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture.

The theme of the conference was Commercialization of livestock agriculture in Africa: Challenges and opportunities.

Dr Berhanu Gebremedhin, an agricultural economist with ILRI's Market Opportunities Theme, organized a special session on livestock trade and markets.

ILRI had four presentations during this session: one during the plenary session (given by Dr Gebremedhin and Dr Dirk Hoekstra) and three during the parallel sessions.

Dr Hoekstra is the manager of the project on Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers.

The following key messages emanated from the session on livestock trade and markets:

• Livestock value chain actors can benefit from improved coordination around investment, incentives, production technologies, input supply and services, and grades and standards.
• Political support and investment are needed to develop collective action of smallholder livestock keepers (cooperatives, associations, contract farming, and vertical integration).
• In order to promote regional trade, market and trade policies need to be harmonized across countries.
• Support for research and advisory services is needed  in the areas of genetic material, input supply and services, diseases of the poor, and market support services.
• A targeted approach for public advisory services is needed to benefit women farmers in the livestock value chain.
• Technology adoption in livestock production requires favourable feasibility and profitability factors.
• Technology adoption and ownership of livestock assets are key determinants of household market participation.
• The Kenyan experience in dairy development can provide valuable lessons to neighbouring countries.

You may view PowerPoint presentations from the conference at http://www.slideshare.net/tag/esap.

Risk maps for bird flu in Africa: French version now available

A couple of months ago, this blog featured an output of the project on Early Detection, Reporting and Surveillance of Avian Influenza in Africa, namely, a report containing risks maps for bird flu in Africa that were developed using multi-criteria decision modelling.

An initial set of risk maps was prepared in 2009; these were refined to produce the final maps contained in the report.

The French version of the report is now available.

Download the French version

Citation
Stevens, K.B., Costard, S., Métras, R., Theuri, W., Hendrickx, S. and Pfeiffer, D.U. 2010. Amélioration de la surveillance de l’influenza aviaire de type H5N1 – Cartographie du risque d’influenza aviaire de type H5N1 en Afrique: Rapport final et cartes de risqué d’influenza aviaire. EDRSAIA (Early Detection, Reporting and Surveillance for Avian Influenza in Africa) project. 

New journal article: Field testing of tsetse repellent technology in Kenya

A newly published article in the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine  (available online 25 October 2010) reports the findings of a 16-month-long field trial of a synthetic tsetse repellent technology among Maasai cattle keepers in Kenya.

Tsetse flies transmit trypanosomes, the protozoan agents that cause animal trypanosomosis, a cattle disease characterized by fever, weakness and anaemia which can, in cases of severe infection, lead to death of the animal.

Various methods used to manage animal trypanosomosis, such as tsetse fly control, trypanocidal drugs and trypanotolerant cattle breeds, have not been widely effective and sustainable, especially where the disease is endemic or where trypanocide resistance is high.

The Kenya study was the first to evaluate a tsetse-repellent device in the field under natural tsetse challenge. The trial pre-established the measure of effectiveness of the technology at a threshold of 50% reduction in trypanosome infection among all treated animals in the herd but the impact of the technology saw only 18% reduction in infection.

Based on this finding, the authors concluded that "the prototype repellent technology package was not sufficiently effective in reducing trypanosome infection incidence under natural tsetse challenge to merit commercial development".

The quest for a sustainable solution to the problem of animal trypanosomosis is not limited to the eastern Africa region. Scientists from ILRI's Market Opportunities Theme and research partners have also undertaken similar studies in West Africa's cotton zone where the disease is endemic and trypanocide resistance is high.

The findings of these studies have been highlighted in previous posts in this blog, namely, characterization of West African farmers' knowledge of cattle trypanosomosis, analysis of appropriate policies for management of trypanocide resistance in Mali and testing of integrated control strategies to reduce the risk of trypanocide resistance.

Read the abstract of the journal article here.

Citation
Bett B, Randolph TF, Irungu P, Nyamwaro SO, Kitala P, Gathuma J, Grace D, Vale G, Hargrove J and McDermott J. 2010. Field trial of a synthetic tsetse-repellent technology developed for the control of bovine trypanosomosis in Kenya. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 97(3-4): 220-227.

ILRI project poster wins top prize at European College of Veterinary Public Health annual conference

A poster based on work by an ILRI-led project aimed at making Vietnam's small-scale pig producers more competitive won the Best Poster Award at the annual scientific meeting of the European College of Veterinary Public Health, held in Nottwil, Lucerne, Switzerland on 7-8 October 2010.

Titled Risk assessment in the pork meat chain in two districts of Vietnam: A residency training project in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute, the poster was prepared by scientists from the Veterinary Public Health Institute, University of Berne, Switzerland; the National Institute for Veterinary Research, Hanoi, Vietnam; and ILRI.

Citation
Fahrion A, Toan NN, Thuy DN, Lapar L and Grace D. 2010.  Risk assessment in the pork meat chain in two districts of Vietnam: A residency training project in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute. Poster presented at the European College of Veterinary Public Health AGM and Annual Scientific Conference, Nottwil, Lucerne, Switzerland, 7-8 October 2010.

Risk assessment in the pork meat chain in 2 districts of Vietnam. A Residency Training Project in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute

View more documents from ILRI CGIAR.

In the news: ILRI-led research on smallholder pig producers features in Vietnam News

The 09 October 2010 issue of the Vietnam News highlights the collaborative research project, Improving the competitiveness of pig producers in an adjusting Vietnam market, which was led by scientists from the Market Opportunities theme of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

The three-year project which ran from April 2007 to March 2010 aimed to identify an appropriate policy and institutional framework that would best improve the competitiveness of smallholder pig producers in Vietnam in light of rising consumer demand for pork.

The project collaborators were the Centre for Agricultural Policy - Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (CAP-IPSARD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxfam and the University of Queensland.

Here's the link to the article, Small pig producers bring home the bacon.

For more information about the project, please visit the project website at http://www.vietpigs.com.vn/

New journal article: Economic and poverty impacts of animal diseases in developing countries: New roles, new demands for economics and epidemiology

Value chain analysis and information economics can improve our understanding of the economic and poverty impacts of animal diseases, particularly in developing country contexts.

These new 'bottom-up' approaches are analyzed in a paper published online on 15 September 2010 in the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine.

The authors, Karl Rich and Brian Perry, highlight the issues affecting different value chain actors and examine how best to align incentives for sustainable control of animal diseases.

"Both value chain analysis and information economics hold particular promise and relevance towards impact assessments that are more robust and thorough than past ones, particularly in the context of the roles of incentives," the authors observe.

Karl Rich is on joint appointment with ILRI and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). Brian Perry is an honorary professor of veterinary medicine at the Universities of Edinburgh and Pretoria, a visiting professor at the University of Oxford, and formerly leader of ILRI's research team on animal health and food safety for trade.

Read the abstract here

Citation
Rich KM and Perry BD. 2011. The economic and poverty impacts of animal diseases in developing countries: New roles, new demands for economics and epidemiology. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 101(3-4): 133-147.

Featured publication: Risk maps for bird flu in Africa

More than 85 percent of households in rural Africa raise poultry for food, income, or both, and many people live in close contact with their birds. The possibility of an epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 is therefore a major concern. Since 2006 bird flu has been introduced into at least 11 countries in Africa, and over 600 outbreaks reported.

Vigilance is key to limiting the disease but animal health personnel cannot monitor everywhere at once. This risk-mapping project was designed to help prioritize their efforts by showing in which places outbreaks are more likely to occur.

A risk map is a complex, computer-generated image that shows the spatial distribution of the predicted risk of a disease. It is based on the spatial distribution of 'risk factors' associated with an increased risk of disease, and the relative importance of each of these factors. In the case of virulent bird flu, risk factors include major transport routes, markets where poultry may be traded, and wetlands with the possibility of contact between poultry and wild birds.

Researchers in this project, Early Detection, Reporting and Surveillance for Avian Influenza in Africa, have prepared risk maps for bird flu in Africa using multi-criteria decision modelling. In this way they have integrated data and information from such diverse sources as published scientific literature, maps available in the public domain, field surveys and expert consultations. An initial set of risk maps was prepared in 2009. These maps were then refined to produce the final maps contained in the current report.

Project partners include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), regional animal health centres, and other national animal health services and veterinary authorities throughout Africa and abroad.

Download the report

EcoHealth resource centres planned for Southeast Asia region

The EcoHealth approach to the prevention and control of zoonotic emerging infectious diseases in the Southeast Asia region project is one of the EcoHealth projects on infectious diseases currently supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Southeast Asia.

The key objective of the project is capacity building of researchers to apply EcoHealth principles into research through ‘learning-by-doing’.

Six research proposals are being finalized currently, each developed using a transdisciplinary approach.

EcoHealth has been defined as holistic, participatory approaches to understanding and promoting heath and wellbeing in the context of social and ecological interactions. 

EcoHealth approaches see the health of humans as dependent on – and inextricably linked with – the health of animals and the ecosystem.

A new project component has recently been added with the donor’s approval, whereby the project will support the setting up of two EcoHealth Resource Centres within the Southeast Asia region; at Chiang Mai University in Thailand and at the University of Gadjah Mada in Indonesia.

The aim is to promote institutionalization of EcoHealth within these centres that would conduct training and mentoring, assisting the capacity building efforts of the project's researchers, and providing for researchers and key actors involved in other EcoHealth projects.

Currently their focus will be on infectious/zoonotic diseases but ultimately they should become involved in other aspects of EcoHealth, including climate change.

For more information about this project, please contact Dr Jeffrey Gilbert (j.gilbert @ cgiar.org)

Featured video: The potential of livestock markets in Mozambique

What holds back Mozambican livestock keepers from making a better living from their farm animals are the country’s underdeveloped and unconnected livestock markets.

Find out more in this 6-minute film by ILRI, titled The potential of livestock markets in Mozambique.

Featured publication: Decision-support tool for prevention and control of Rift Valley fever epizootics in the Greater Horn of Africa

The August 2010 supplement of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene features a decision-support tool for the prevention and control of Rift Valley fever in the Greater Horn of Africa.

The tool was developed under a project managed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and funded by the Emergency Coordination Office for Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

It was developed by a consultative group for Rift Valley fever decision support comprising individuals from FAO, ILRI, the Kenya and Tanzania Departments of Veterinary Services, United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), Vétérinaires sans Frontières (VSF) Suisse and VETAID.

Download the report

Citation
ILRI/FAO. 2008. Decision-support tool for prevention and control of Rift Valley fever epizootics in the Greater Horn of Africa. Version 1. ILRI Guide 28 pp.

New journal article: An assessment of the regional and national socio-economic impacts of the 2007 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Kenya

Researchers at the Market Opportunities theme of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have assessed and quantified the local and national socio-economic impacts of the 2006-07 outbreak of Rift Valley fever in Kenya.

Results of their study appear in an article published in the August 2010 supplement of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

The authors of the study, Karl Rich and Francis Wanyoike, carried out a rapid assessment of the livestock production and marketing chains in Garissa and Ijara districts of northeastern Kenya.

They focused on four main categories of actors: producers, traders, slaughterhouses and butchers.

They also assessed the impact of the Rift Valley fever outbreak on the national economy by use of the most recently available social accounting matrix for Kenya, which made it possible to estimate the changes in the value of national income commensurate with the disease outbreak.

Producers were hardest hit as a result of the death of their animals from the disease, with total economic losses from livestock deaths valued at over 610 million Kenya Shillings (KES), or over 9.3 million US dollars (USD)  at the then exchange rate of USD 1 = KES 65.

These losses had negative spin-off effects on household food security and future income.

Traders and slaughterhouses were affected by movement bans on livestock and decreased consumer demand for meat which greatly affected sales of live animals and meat products.

Several slaughterhouses and butcheries were forced to close for up to three months until the ban was lifted.

Thus, a significant number of people who indirectly depend on the slaughterhouses for their livelihoods (for instance, people involved in tea sales and cart transport of meat) were also negatively impacted as a result of the closure.

"The idling of the Garissa and Mwingi slaughterhouses resulted in economic losses of KES 189,000 (USD 2917) and KES 52,800 (USD 812) per month, respectively," the authors report.

At the national level, the study estimates that the Rift Valley fever outbreak led to a KES 2.1 billion loss to the Kenyan economy, with most of the impacts being felt in the livestock sector.

However, non-agricultural sectors also experienced economic losses, key among which were the transportation, trade, chemicals and petroleum industries.

Noting that socio-economic analysis of animal diseases often overlooks the multiplicity of stakeholders that are affected, the authors point to a need for analyses to adequately capture the diverse impacts of animal diseases instead of focusing just on the producer-level impacts.

"The failure to capture these diverse impacts may have important implications on the evolution and control of disease that may accentuate its impact," the authors caution.

Read the abstract here.

Citation
Rich KM and Wanyoike F. 2010. An assessment of the regional and national socio-economic impacts of the 2007 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Kenya. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 83(2 Suppl): 52-57.

New journal article: Epidemiological assessment of the Rift Valley fever outbreak in Kenya and Tanzania in 2006 and 2007

Livestock keepers can play a key role in veterinary surveillance as part of preparedness and response plans for future outbreaks of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in East Africa, according to new research published in the August 2010 supplement of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Researchers from the Market Opportunities theme of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), together with partners from the veterinary services of Kenya and Tanzania, carried out epidemiological studies shortly after an outbreak of RVF in the two countries in 2006-07.

The objective of the studies was to document the key lessons learned from the outbreak as tools to inform veterinary preparedness and response plans for future outbreaks of RVF in East Africa.

Pastoralist communities, especially the Somali of Northeastern Kenya, made key epidemiological observations such as unusually heavy rains and flooding before the outbreak, as well as unusually high cases of illness and death in their flocks consistent with RVF.

These changes were observed well in advance of the detection of RVF by the veterinary surveillance system.

Similarly, human cases consistent with RVF were noted by the livestock-keeping communities well in advance of the detection by the public health surveillance system.

The studies also found that emergency vaccination to control the spread of RVF in response to an early warning may not be a cost-effective strategy, given the constraints linked to timely manufacture and procurement of large quantities of vaccines and delivery to affected areas.

"Priority should be placed on developing combined economic and epidemiologic models that evaluate the economic benefits achieved by different disease prevention and control decisions at critical points before and during outbreaks," the authors conclude.

Read the abstract here

Citation
Jost C, Nzietchueng S, Kihu S, Bett B, Njogu G, Swai ES and Mariner JC. 2010. Epidemiological assessment of the Rift Valley fever outbreak in Kenya and Tanzania in 2006 and 2007. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 83(2 Suppl): 65-72.

New journal article - Research evidence accelerates process of Kenya dairy policy reform

The collaborative Smallholder Dairy Project which was implemented from 1997 to 2005 played a pivotal role in bringing about dairy policy change in Kenya, speeding up a process and outcome that, without the project, may have come many years later.

This is one of the key findings of a recently published (July 2010, online) ex post assessment of the impact of the revised Kenya dairy policy, carried out by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and partners.

Titled Kenyan dairy policy change: Influence pathways and economic impacts, the paper is published in the journal World Development.

Funded largely by the UK Department for International Development, the Smallholder Dairy Project was a collaborative research and development project involving the Kenya Ministry of Livestock Development, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and ILRI.

The impact assessment found that behavioural changes in dairy sector participants arising from the policy and regulatory reforms led to an average 9% reduction in milk-marketing margins, and a significant increase in the number of licensed small-scale milk vendors.

The policy change also brought about significant economic benefits to producers, consumers and small-scale milk vendors.

"Small-scale dairy operators have profited from quick, relatively high volume turnovers, and as a result, welfare benefits accruing to small-scale milk vendors increased," the paper reports.

"A large proportion of the small-scale milk vendors are also producers who have substantially benefited from the policy change... some of these benefits were also captured by consumers," the study concludes.

Read the abstract here.

Citation
Kaitibie S, Omore A, Rich K and Kristjanson P. 2010. Kenyan dairy policy change: Influence pathways and economic impacts. World Development 38(10): 1494-1505.

Indonesia stakeholders review outputs of study on bird flu risk reduction

Stakeholders in Indonesia have called for education of poultry farmers, traders and transporters; greater public awareness; and strengthening of institutional capacity as key measures towards implementing pro-poor risk reduction strategies against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the country.

The call was made during a final project workshop held in Bogor, Indonesia last week (5-6 August 2010) to mark the end of research activities of the Indonesia component of a project on pro-poor HPAI risk reduction strategies.

The two-year project is supported by the UK Department of International Development (DFID) and is implemented in Asia (Indonesia) and Africa (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria).

The workshop was held to review project activities and key research outputs, as well as to propose key recommendations for future research collaboration.

About 40 participants were in attendance, drawn from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Indonesia Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

Also present were stakeholders from local universities such as Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and Bogor Agricultural University, poultry industry/farmers, and international researchers and donors implementing or supporting similar projects in the country.

Project activities whose results were reviewed included

• qualitative and quantitative assessment of the risk of transmission of HPAI between small-scale broiler farms;
• value chain analysis focusing on a range of poultry products including local and commercial live birds, eggs, spent layers and ducks;
• analysis of degree of compliance of backyard and small-scale poultry producers with HPAI control measures;
• review of institutional response capacity to HPAI;
• qualitative and quantitative assessment of impacts of HPAI on livelihoods;
• analysis of willingness to pay for control measures;
• cost-benefit analysis; and
• communication and advocacy activities.

The key recommendations discussed at the workshop included the need to encourage uptake of basic biosecurity measures through education, provision of targeted subsidies, development of professional producer and trader associations with certification schemes, and identification of ways of encouraging prompt reporting of outbreaks.

Livelihoods studies highlighted the need for campaigns to improve the level of awareness of HPAI risks and encourage behaviour change.

The meeting also acknowledged that the ad hoc institutions that were set up after the initial HPAI outbreaks played a key role in the dissemination of information.

The Indonesia National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (KOMNAS FBPI) is one such institution, which brought together animal and human health authorities in implementing a joint response to the pandemic.

It was recommended that these types of institutions be integrated into the relevant government departments throughout the country’s administrative units. These recommendations will be further developed in consultation with the MoA.

IFPRI will take the lead role in developing and disseminating communication and advocacy materials. The project will also develop an 8-minute video to capture the main messages generated. Future research and potential publications will be discussed in a feedback meeting with the MoA scheduled for October 2010.

In a courtesy meeting during the workshop, the Director General for Livestock Services in Jakarta, Dr Tjeppy Soedjana, was briefed about the project objectives and achievements and emphasized his interest in future collaboration with ILRI, IFPRI and RVC.

For more information about the project and to view the project reports, please visit the project web page.

Contributed by Bernard Bett and Fred Unger

Kenya's informal milk and meat sectors targeted for improved food safety

At a Nairobi workshop, food safety experts have recognized and targeted the informal sector in discussions on reducing the risk of milk- and meat-borne diseases in Kenya.

The workshop brought together officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Kenya Dairy Board, the University of Nairobi, the Department of Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Livestock Development, the International Livestock Research Institute's (ILRI) Market Opportunities theme and GTZ's program on Private Sector Development in Agriculture (PSDA). It was jointly organized by ILRI's GTZ-funded Safe Food, Fair Food project and the GTZ's PDSA program.

Improving the safety of food delivered by Kenya's informal milk and meat value chains would impact millions of consumers, traders and farmers, because it is the provider of the great majority of animal-source foods, and is a significant employer.

The meeting resolved to enhance dialogue and information sharing amongst government, research and assistance partners, to inform and complement existing structures. This particularly addressed the informal sector.

In addition, a commitment was made towards greater efforts in disseminating information to users. This will involve transferring the existing information and tools (particularly training material and key elements of food safety legislation) to informal food sector participants.

Featured publication: Manual for participatory disease surveillance practitioners

As part of the Early Detection, Reporting and Surveillance for Avian Influenza in Africa project which was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a number of training courses in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) participatory disease surveillance (PDS) have been conducted in western and eastern Africa in 2008 and 2009.

Produced in September 2009, the purpose of this manual is to provide a reference for veterinarians and animal health workers during and after PDS training. The main focus of this manual is on HPAI PDS but the methods can easily be adapted and applied to address other livestock diseases.

The project was implemented by the Market Opportunities theme of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in collaboration with the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and Vétérinaires sans Frontières - Belgium (VSF-B).

Download the manual

Experts meet to discuss food safety strategy for Kenya

A group of 12 Kenya-based food safety experts meet in Nairobi on Wednesday 28 July 2010 for a day-long workshop about food safety in Kenya’s livestock products. The meeting will prioritize the most important milk- and meat-borne diseases in Kenya, to contribute to formulation of a risk management strategy for animal-source foods.

Participants will be drawn from the Ministry of Livestock Development, the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Kenya Dairy Board, the University of Nairobi, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the GTZ program on Private Sector Development in Agriculture.

ILRI will be represented by Derek Baker and Kohei Makita from the Market Opportunities theme.

Key issues to be discussed include:

• Food safety laws and regulations;
• Public and private structures that relate to the animal-source food industry;
• Structure and organization of regulatory bodies; and
• Domestic livestock production and import and exports.

In addition, findings from a study on the contamination of beef carcasses with E. coli O157:H7 in three slaughterhouses in Nairobi will be presented, and approaches to risk management discussed.

The workshop takes place at GTZ Nairobi under the auspices of the Safe Food, Fair Food project currently underway in eight countries across East, West and southern Africa. The project is funded by BMZ, Germany.

For more information, please contact Derek Baker (d.baker @ cgiar.org) or visit the project website.

Video: Training makes a difference to small-scale milk business in Kenya

Training of Kenya's small-scale milk vendors on hygienic milk handling has seen them significantly increase their profit margins and milk supplies to consumers, following rising consumer demand for milk of better quality.

In this video produced by WRENmedia, we see how the training activities of the Smallholder Dairy Project (1997-2005) are having an impact in improving the livelihoods of Kenya's small-scale milk vendors through increased incomes.

Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Smallholder Dairy Project was jointly implemented by the Kenya Ministry of Livestock Development, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

Pan-African conference to feature special session on livestock trade

A special session on livestock trade and markets will feature at a pan-African conference on animal agriculture to be held in October 2010 in Ethiopia.

ILRI's Markets Theme scientist Berhanu Gebremedhin is organizing a special session titled Livestock trade and markets: leveling the national, regional and international policy playing fields for poverty impact for the 5th All Africa Conference of Animal Agriculture (AACAA).

The theme of the conference is Commercialization of livestock agriculture: Challenges and opportunities. It is set to be held on 25-28 October 2010 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The AACAA is held every five years. This year's event is organized by the All Africa Society for Animal Production in conjunction with the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production.

For more information about the conference, please email the Organizing Officer, Feven Tadesse on aasap.feven @ mail.com.

New Agriculturist features Fodder Innovation Project

The July 2010 issue of the online magazine New Agriculturist features the Fodder Innovation Project which is using an innovation systems approach to reposition research towards a focus on building alliances and networks that strengthen innovation processes.

The project is being implemented in India and Nigeria in collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU-MERIT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). It is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Here is the link to the article, Learning for change: a logical approach for fodder innovation?

Are smallholder dairy farmers in East Africa competitive?

Small-scale dairy farms dominate production in most developing countries, including in East Africa. In the light of rapidly increasing demand for milk in most of the developing world, one important question is: can small-scale dairy farmers compete in the international arena? Also, what factors influence their competitiveness?

These questions were explored recently during a presentation by ILRI agricultural economist, Dr Isabelle Baltenweck, at the 6th Africa Dairy Conference and Exhibition held in Kigali, Rwanda on 18-20 May 2010.

The presentation was based on research findings from the East Africa Dairy Development project which quantified farm-gate milk prices and costs of milk production in study sites in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

The findings indicate that smallholder dairy producers in East Africa can effectively compete, mainly due to strong local demand. This can be further enhanced by improving economies of scale; enhancing access to inputs, services and appropriate technologies; improving infrastructure; and creating an enabling policy and institutional environment.

Competitiveness of smallholder dairy farmers in East Africa

View more presentations from ILRI CGIAR.

New journal article: Consumer demand for sheep and goat meat in Kenya

A recently published study on consumer demand for sheep and goat meat in Kenya has found that a niche market exists for these products among consumers in two key production and market locations in the country.

The study, published in an article in the May 2010 issue of Small Ruminant Research, sought to investigate patterns of consumption of small ruminants' meat in Kenya and the factors influencing consumer demand for these products.

Data from 103 households were collected in Marsabit  District, a semi-arid region where small ruminant production is a major economic activity, and Kiamaiko area in the capital city Nairobi, a key market for sheep and goats from Marsabit.

Over 55 per cent of sampled households preferred sheep and goat meat over beef. Purchase price of small ruminant meat, household location, and share of monthly income spent on food were among the factors identified to play a role in influencing consumer demand for sheep and goat meat.

Producers need to be aware of the existing and potential demand for sheep and goat meat so as to be able to respond appropriately to consumers' needs and ensure access to markets, the authors conclude.

Dr Isabelle Baltenweck, an agricultural economist with ILRI's Market Opportunities theme, is a co-author of the journal article.

Read the abstract here.

Citation
Juma GP, Ngigi M, Baltenweck I and Drucker AG. 2010. Consumer demand for sheep and goat meat in Kenya. Small Ruminant Research 90(1-3): 135-138.

New journal article: Predictive model developed to improve rinderpest control in Somalia

A newly developed predictive model shows potential to improve surveillance and control of rinderpest in central and southern Somalia.

The model combines spatial and network factors to identify point locations and areas with high risk of presence of rinderpest. These are then used to generate a risk map that can help in prioritizing disease surveillance and control activities. This is particularly important in Somalia where veterinary resources are scarce.

In addition to improving surveillance efforts for rinderpest, the integration of spatial and network parameters in the model allows for its application to other livestock species (such as sheep, goats and camels) and diseases in nomadic pastoral systems.

The development of this new model is described in a journal article published in the May 2010 issue of the open access journal BMC Veterinary Research.

The article is based on research carried out within the framework of the Improvement and Diversification of Somali Livestock Trade and Marketing project implemented by ILRI and Terra Nuova. Tom Otieno, formerly with the ILRI Market Opportunities theme, is a co-author.

Read the article here

Citation
Ortiz-Pelaez A, Pfeiffer DU, Tempia S, Otieno FT, Aden HH and Costagli R. 2010. Risk mapping of rinderpest sero-prevalence in central and southern Somalia based on spatial and network risk factors. BMC Veterinary Research 6:22.

Innovation platforms boost livestock value chains in Mozambique

A novel approach to enhancing livestock commercialization is helping to improve market participation by smallholder livestock keepers in semi-arid Mozambique.

The Innovation Platform (IP) approach uses value chain analysis to identify challenges and constraints to livestock production and marketing. Based on these, opportunities to overcome the bottlenecks are then sought.

By collectively engaging all value chain actors, the IP approach strengthens linkages among sector stakeholders thus helping to enhance efficiency through better alignment of livestock production and market requirements. In addition, improved flow of market information results in reduced transaction costs and greater market efficiency.

The Livestock and Livelihoods (LILI) project (Livestock and Livelihoods: Improving market participation of small-scale livestock producers), implemented from 2007, used the IP approach to contribute towards achieving the project's objectives.

These objectives were to: (1) improve market participation of small-scale goat and cattle keepers in semi-arid regions of Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe; (2) evaluate constraints to and opportunities for commercialization of smallholder production of goats and cattle; (3) test and evaluate alternative livestock marketing and input delivery systems; (4) assess the impact of market-led technology change on household incomes; and (5) establish an effective communication strategy to facilitate networking and exchange of information among sector stakeholders.

The LILI project was collaboratively undertaken by the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the National Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM), the Matopos Research Station of Zimbabwe and the Namibian National Farmers' Union (NNFU). 

Some of the experiences of implementing the IP approach in the LILI project are documented in an April 2010 report, The innovation platform in Mozambique: Evidence from Chicualacuala and Changara, by Dr Manuel Filipe, a scientist formerly with ILRI's Market Opportunities research theme.

"The Innovation Platform can be a platform for constructive debate and problem solving," Dr Filipe notes in his report. "The market actors as well as the local authorities have embraced it and it is being used as an entry point for other initiatives such as training and planning, among others," he adds.

The LILI project was funded by the European Union and supported by the Southern African Development Community.

Download the report

Citation
Filipe M. 2010. The innovation platform in Mozambique: Evidence from Chicualacuala and Changara. Project report. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi. 18pp.

Counting the losses: Regional project quantifies milk spoilage in East Africa

A regional dairy industry development project is generating research data to quantify the levels of milk losses due to spoilage in East Africa. The East Africa Dairy Development project (EADD) is involved in research to assess the levels and causes of milk spoilage experienced by informal milk traders in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The analysis of the data collected will be used as an empirical basis for interventions aimed at reducing losses and improving milk quality in the informal dairy sector of the respective countries.

Preliminary results show that over 75% of traders sourcing milk from farmers report milk loss due to spoilage, and those losing milk report losses of between 17 and 23 litres per week due to spoilage, occasioned largely by unhygienic milk handling and inadequate milk cooling systems. Other causes of milk spoilage include adulteration and mixing of evening and morning milk. Factors that exacerbate the problem are delayed milk delivery, erratic electricity supply at milk cooling plants and low levels of training on hygienic milk handling among traders. Data analysis is ongoing to evaluate the losses in income experienced by farmers and informal milk traders as a result of milk spoilage.

The data generated by EADD builds on findings from an earlier study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2003-04. At the time, the problem of milk losses had long been acknowledged to exist in Eastern Africa. However, there was a gap in knowledge with regard to the quantities of milk lost along the producer-to-consumer supply chain. To fill this gap, FAO led rapid appraisal studies aimed at quantifying post-harvest milk and dairy product losses in Eastern Africa and the Near East.

The studies carried out in Ethiopia, Kenya, Syria, Tanzania and Uganda represented the first-ever systematic attempt to accurately quantify milk losses in these countries. The country reports formed the basis of two synthesis reports prepared by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) that identified the types, levels and causes of milk losses, both in terms of quantity and monetary value. Specific links in the milk supply chain where significant losses were experienced were also identified. Losses with pragmatic solutions were identified and targeted for appropriate interventions aimed at reducing or eliminating the losses.

In Eastern Africa, the small-scale informal dairy sector was found to bear the brunt of post-harvest milk losses; formal milk processors incurred minimal losses. In terms of quantity, significant milk losses were found to occur at the farm level (8.4, 28.6, 46.4 and 54.2 million litres of milk per year for Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, respectively) valued at between 0.9 and 11 million US dollars.

Post-harvest losses of milk at the farm represented 1.3 to 6.4 percent of the value of available milk at the farm level. The total value of post-harvest milk losses per year amounted to 9.9, 14.2, 17.8 and 23.9 million US dollars for Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, respectively.

Poor road infrastructure and inadequate markets for raw milk were the main causes of farm-level losses, which were found to be largely in form of spoilage, spillage and “forced home consumption” (including by calves and humans) over and above normal household consumption. Although in quantity terms forced losses may seem to be high, in value terms they are less significant, because an estimated 70% of the value of the milk is still captured. Along the marketing chain, milk loss was mainly due to spillage and spoilage. These losses were occasioned by poor access to markets, poor milk handling practices and irregular power supply in milk processing plants.

EADD has identified the lack of training in milk hygiene as an opportunity to improve the quality of milk sold by the informal dairy sector through implementation of a quality assurance scheme that incorporates training and certification of traders. The project is also assisting farmers to own chilling plants through Dairy Farmers Business Associations to reduce the losses and increase marketed output.

EADD is implemented by Heifer International in partnership with African Breeders Service Total Cattle Management (ABS-TCM), ILRI, TechnoServe and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the goal of this project is to help one million people – 179,000 families living on small 1-5 acre farms – lift themselves out of poverty through more profitable production and marketing of milk.

For more information about EADD, please visit the project website http://www.heifer.org/eadd.

This article was written by Tezira Lore with input from Amos Omore

New journal article: Testing of trypanosomosis control strategies in West Africa's cotton zone

Widespread resistance to trypanocidal drugs threatens their effective use by smallholder crop-livestock farmers, particularly in the cotton zone of West Africa where the risk of trypanosomosis is high.

Research to identify and test best-bet integrated control strategies to reduce the risk of trypanocide resistance found that community-based tse tse control is effective but needs external support to be sustainable.

Rational drug use is a promising strategy in areas where resistance is not yet well established. Keeping of trypanotolerant cattle, though less attractive to farmers, should be promoted in areas where these cattle are still maintained.

These research findings are discussed in an article published online on 23 April 2010 in a special  issue of the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. ILRI researchers Hippolyte Affognon, Oumar Diall, Delia Grace and Thomas Randolph are co-authors.

Read the abstract here

Citation
Clausen P-H, Bauer B, Zessin K-H, Diall O, Bocoum Z, Sidibe I, Affognon H, Waibel H, Grace D and Randolph T. 2010. Preventing and containing trypanocide resistance in the cotton zone of West Africa. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 57(1-2): 28-32.

Fodder Innovation Project featured in Farming Matters magazine

The March 2010 issue of the quarterly magazine Farming Matters (formerly known as Leisa Magazine) features an article on the Fodder Innovation Project which is led by ILRI's Market Opportunities theme.

This action-research project is aimed at enabling effective innovation in institutional and policy arenas to address the problem of fodder scarcity, alongside the conventional technology-related approaches to improving the quality and availability of fodder.

The project is being implemented in India and Nigeria in collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU-MERIT), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). It is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Here is the link to the article, Re-assessing the fodder problem.

Vietnam pork sector study featured in New Agriculturist

A collaborative study led by ILRI's Markets Opportunities theme to map the supply chains for pigs and pork products in Vietnam is featured in the January 2010 issue of the online bimonthly newsletter New Agriculturist.

The project, Improving the competitiveness of pig producers in an adjusting Vietnam market, is aimed at generating research evidence to inform policymakers on the appropriate policy, technological and institutional frameworks that will allow Vietnam's smallholder pig producers to competitively increase their incomes through enhanced access to market chains for high-value pork products.

"Smallholders could play a much greater role in pork production but there is a need to generate appropriate technologies to maximize the potential of these systems, to improve the breeds and to provide better and more cost-efficient feed rations," the article quotes Lucy Lapar, a scientist with ILRI's Market Opportunities theme scientist and the coordinator of the project.

The project is due to end in March 2010 but it is hoped that the outputs of the study will be taken up by policymakers and sector stakeholders to inform dialogue towards formulation of pro-poor policies in support of Vietnam's smallholder pig producers.

The project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in collaboration with the Centre for Agricultural Policy - Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (CAP-IPSARD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxfam and the University of Queensland.

Here's the link to the New Agriculturist article, Vietnam: taking a pig to market.

Blog launched: Participatory Epidemiology Network for Animal and Public Health

The Participatory Epidemiology Network for Animal and Public Health (PENAPH) has launched a blog to share news, training materials and other useful resources related to its work.

Started in 2007, PENAPH connects groups and individuals who apply participatory epidemiology methods in the control of emerging and existing diseases. PENAPH works to improve livelihoods by contributing to solve the world's most pressing health challenges.

PENAPH's partner institutions have a wealth of experience in participatory epidemiology and participatory disease surveillance, as well as interests in promoting One Health approaches. These partners are:

• African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
• Royal Veterinary College, University of London (RVC)
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Belgium (VSF-B)
• Veterinarians Without Borders - Canada (VSF-C)
• World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

To find out more about PENAPH, please visit the blog at http://penaph.net.

IFPRI's 'Millions Fed' book launched in Nairobi

The book Millions Fed: Proven Successes in Agricultural Development by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was launched in Nairobi on 27 January 2010 at the ILRI Kenya campus.

Edited by David J Spielman and Rajul Pandya-Lorch, the book features 20 case studies of successful interventions in agricultural development that have substantially reduced poverty and hunger in Africa, Asia and South America, as well as globally.

The key factors underlying the success of these interventions have been documented to provide a collection of credible research evidence to inform future policy and investment decisions.

The project was led by IFPRI, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Amos Omore, Karl Rich and Steve Staal, all scientists from ILRI's Market Opportunities research theme, are among the contributors.

Markets theme scientists visit collaborators in Yunnan, China

The director of the Grassland and Animal Science Institute in Yunnan, China, Dr Huang Bi-Zhi, hosted a team of scientists from ILRI’s Market Opportunities theme during their visit to the institute on 17 January 2010.

Pictured (left to right) are Anette Baumer, Fred Unger, Huang Bi-Zhi, Lucy Lapar and Delia Grace. In the background are some Murray-Brahmin-Yunnan (MBY) cattle, a breed developed at the institute.