ILRI film features integrated community-based methods to control trypanosomosis in West Africa

Livestock keepers in West Africa rely largely on treating their cattle with drugs to protect them from trypanosomosis, but resistance to these drugs has emerged in many areas.

This training film (approx. 13 minutes) from the project, Preventing and containing trypanocide resistance in the cotton zone of West Africa, outlines good practices for improving the use of drugs and slowing the emergence of resistance.

These practices, which are based on Rational Drug Use, an approach from human health now adapted for animal care, are clearly explained so that veterinary workers and farmers can treat animals safely.

Rational Drug Use can be combined with other methods that reduce the numbers of tsetse flies to further slow the spread of resistance to trypanocidal medicines.

This is one of three films telling the story of the current state of the war against a disease that is so deadly and widespread that farmers call it 'the malaria of cattle'.

Also see this related post on Livestock Markets Digest: Study calls for participatory approach to prevent trypanocide drug resistance in West Africa

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.

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).