ILRI research report: influence of policy in control of trypanosomosis in West Africa

Although several strategies are available to control trypanosomosis (for example, tse tse fly control or rearing of trypanotolerant cattle breeds), cattle farmers in Mali often choose trypanocidal drugs as the only method. However, frequent use of the low-priced trypanocides has led to the development of resistance to the drugs, which is emerging as a major obstacle to their continued use.

A research study was carried out to characterize the policy environment that influences the ability of Malian cattle farmers to control trypanosomosis sustainably, and to identify policies needed to support sustainable trypanosomosis control strategies.

The research findings are contained in a report titled Etude des politiques relatives aux stratégies de gestion de la chimiorésistance dans le cadre de la lutte contre la trypanosomose en Afrique de l’Ouest: Cas du Mali (Study of policies relating to strategies for management of trypanocide resistance in West Africa: The case of Mali).

The authors of the report call for continued policy dialogue to raise awareness on the extent and potential impacts of trypanocide drug resistance. They also recommend that ways to disseminate information on Rational Drug Use (RDU) be identified in order to come up with best-bet control strategies that are acceptable to all stakeholders.

The report is written in French with an abstract in English.

Citation
Affognon H, Coulibaly M, Diall O, Grace D, Randolph T and Waibel H. 2009. Etude des politiques relatives aux stratégies de gestion de la chimiorésistance dans le cadre de la lutte contre la trypanosomose en Afrique de l’Ouest: Cas du Mali. ILRI Research Report 17. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. 58 pp.

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Preventive Veterinary Medicine publishes paper on participatory epidemiology study among Turkana pastoralists

The 01 August 2009 edition of the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine features a paper on a participatory epidemiology study carried out to determine the relative incidence of livestock diseases and their impact on the livelihoods of pastoralists in Turkana South District, Kenya.

The paper was written by Bernard Bett, Christine Jost and Jeffrey Mariner of ILRI’s Markets theme, and Robert Allport of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium.

According to the study findings, interventions aimed at improving the productivity of goats and controlling diseases like mange, peste des petits ruminants and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia are likely to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of pastoralists in Turkana South district.

Nomadic pastoralism, limited access to veterinary services and livestock theft were identified as unique challenges that tend to frustrate effective disease control interventions. “These challenges need to be addressed in development and disease control interventions,” the authors conclude.

Citation
Bett B, Jost C, Allport R and Mariner J. 2009. Using participatory epidemiology techniques to estimate the relative incidence and impact on livelihoods of livestock diseases amongst nomadic pastoralists in Turkana South District, Kenya. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 90:194-203.

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ILRI paper wins top award at IAMA World Annual Symposium

An ILRI research paper on commodity-based beef exports from Ethiopia won the Best Paper Award at this year’s World Annual Forum and Symposium of the International Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA) held at Budapest, Hungary from 20-23 June 2009.

The paper, titled Commodity-based trade and market access for developing country livestock producers: the case of beef exports from Ethiopia, came out tops in a field of 29 papers that were up for the award. Over 350 people attended the symposium whose theme, in relation to food and agribusiness, was Global challenges and local solutions.

The paper was written by Karl Rich of ILRI and the American University in Cairo, and two former ILRI (and Markets theme) staff: Brian Perry of the University of Oxford and Simeon Kaitibie of the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Syria.

The paper examines the economic feasibility of a proposed two-phase SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) certification for beef exports as a means of enhancing Ethiopian livestock exports.

“Given the nature of competition in international beef markets, Ethiopia will likely be forced to compete on quality, exporting a diversity of cuts on the basis of demand and competitiveness in different regions, and in differentiating its product relative to competitors over and beyond higher disease-free and food safety standards,” the paper concludes.

Download the paper here (PDF)

CEO of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation lauds work by ILRI and partners in East Africa

In his first annual letter as Chief Executive Officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeff Raikes gives special mention to the East Africa Dairy Development Project which is opening up new market opportunities for small-scale dairy farmers through the setting up of milk chilling plants that also serve as hubs for access to vital inputs and financial services.

Jeff Raikes says,

"...In March, I traveled to Kenya and Zambia to see some of that work. One of the sites I visited was a milk chilling plant in the Kenyan town of Ol Kalou. The plant, which is part of a project with Heifer International, gives almost 3,000 dairy farmers the ability to chill their milk so that it won’t spoil before it is transported to a processing plant. This facility opens up a whole new market opportunity for them.

I was impressed by the chilling facility, but what really struck me were all the additional services attached to it. The plant had become a central hub where dairy farmers in a radius of 50 kilometers could get access to financial services, buy feed, and seek veterinary care for their cattle.

This is one kind of investment foundations are well-suited to make. At some point, these agricultural hubs may be profitable. In that event, they will draw interest from the private sector. But businesses won’t take that risk unless somebody provides more evidence that the business model works. I am optimistic that our project with Heifer International will do just that, while helping thousands of farmers escape poverty and hunger...."

The East Africa Dairy Development project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by Heifer International in partnership with ILRI, TechnoServe, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the African Breeders Services Total Cattle Management (ABS-TCM).

ILRI research features in CGIAR story of the month

Just in case you missed it, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has featured ILRI's work on risk-based approaches towards control of zoonotic diseases as the CGIAR story of the month. Check it out here.

Collaborators present preliminary study results on poultry and dairy farming in Bangladesh

Livestock-sector stakeholders in Bangladesh held a workshop to discuss key findings of ILRI-sponsored research on poultry and dairy farming.

The workshop titled ‘Demand-driven opportunities for transformation of the livestock sector: Role of contract farming and breeding’ was held on 24 May 2009 in the conference hall of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh.

The objective was to share the findings of three studies sponsored by ILRI with EU funding and implemented jointly with BAU and Bangabandhu Shaikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur.

These were on urban demand for livestock products with a focus on quality and safety attributes, and contract farming in poultry and dairy.

An additional survey was conducted on stakeholder perspectives on breeding strategy and choice of breeds, which was not in the original work plan and this was also presented.

Over 70 participants attended the workshop which drew representatives from universities, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the Department of Livestock Services, research institutes and private-sector NGOs as well as several small-scale commercial poultry and dairy farmers.

Dr Mohammad Jabbar welcomed the participants on behalf of ILRI and made a brief presentation describing the background and importance of the studies and the mode of collaboration with BAU and BSMRAU.

Dr Jabbar is the immediate former leader of the Changing Demand and Market Institutions Operating Project in the Markets Theme. He is now based in Bangladesh and works with the theme as a consultant on a number of projects.

The workshop was opened by Mr Mohammad Shah Alam, Secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

Prof M A S Mandal, Vice Chancellor of BAU, Prof T H Miah, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, and Prof Habibur Rahman, study coordinator and workshop organizer also spoke at the opening session.

They all lauded the studies, considering them timely given the on-going commercialization of poultry and dairy activities in Bangladesh.

Four papers were presented in the business session covering the key findings of the studies.

The findings were considered very useful under the current dynamics of the livestock sector and the results generated lively discussion and debate.

There was not enough time for in-depth presentation of results and more detailed discussion.

However, one jointly printed publication, two draft reports and one paper presentation were distributed to the participants so that they could have access to the full study reports.

The draft reports will be reviewed and formally published in due course.

AGRA-ILRI international conference clarifies priority actions needed to develop markets for African smallholders

A major international conference, held 13–15 May 2009 in Nairobi, brought together 150 of the world’s and Africa’s leading scholars and development experts to clarify priority actions that must be taken to unleash the potential of the continent’s smallholder agricultural sector.

The conference was sponsored by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, AGRA's Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, makes his opening remarks. ILRI's Markets Theme Director, Steve Staal, is seated second left. Kenya's Agriculture Minister, Hon. William Ruto, is seated far right.

The tone for the conference was set by Kenya’s Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable William Ruto, who opened the meeting by challenging the group to identify and prioritize concrete actions that will, over time, lead to more efficient and effective markets that bring benefits both to producers and consumers across Africa.

The ensuing and often lively debate and discussions led to a number of key conference outcomes that will be made widely available in the near future.

Conference participants comprised a wide range of representatives from all along (and beyond) the African agricultural value chain.

Ravi Prabhu facilitates one of the discussions. Ravi is the Coordinator of the CGIAR Regional Plan for Collective Action in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Alliance of the CGIAR centres.

Intergovernmental and sub-regional bodies in Africa, including NEPAD, CAADP, COMESA and ASARECA, served as featured speakers and participated in panel discussions and numerous parallel working sessions.

International funding agencies, including the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank contributed early and often to conference discussions.

The UN World Food Programme, along with a wide range of private/public sector organizations – including bankers, agro-dealers, seed companies, grain councils, national commodity exchanges and farmers associations – were vital contributors to shaping the debate.

Representatives from leading universities dealing with market development issues, such as Cornell University, the University of Colombia, Michigan State University, the University of Leuven, the University of Zambia and Montpellier University, shared results from recent market research done by them and others in academia.

And a number of CGIAR and affiliated organizations, including ILRI, CIAT-TSBF, CIMMYT, IFPRI, ICRISAT, IITA, ICRAF and IFDC contributed their experience and perspectives on the issues being discussed.

In closing the conference, AGRA President Dr Namanga Ngongi, stressed the importance of bringing together such a diverse group of development specialists to clarify what needs to be done next, when and by whom in order to develop Africa’s local, national and regional markets.

Concrete actions that will promote the ability of these markets to absorb the fruits of smallholder productivity increases are essential, Dr Ngongi noted.

The right actions by key players involved in building markets across the continent will reinforce the growing momentum for a uniquely African Green Revolution and, in so doing, help increase food security and reduce poverty for millions.

For more information, please visit the conference website http://agmarketsafrica.wordpress.com

Meeting of the minds: Participants at the AGRA-ILRI Conference "Towards priority actions for market development for African farmers"