ILRI to host international conference on mainstreaming livestock value chains

Animals for sale at Niamana Livestock Market, Bamako, Mali (photo credit: ILRI/Stevie Mann).

An international conference on Mainstreaming Livestock Value Chains: Bridging the Research Gap between Household Analysis and Policy Modelling will take place in Accra, Ghana on 5-6 November 2013.

The conference will directly address existing gaps in the design and application of analytical tools for livestock policy and impact analysis. Participants will include research organizations and development actors with an interest in the empirical specification of agricultural policy, particularly related to livestock.

Presenters will include leading agricultural policy modellers and analysts working on the impact of socio-economic drivers and the impact on improved livestock technologies on people, communities, and the environment.

The goals of the conference are:

• To establish strong and functional linkages between livestock value chain and impact analysis on the one hand, and sectoral, general equilibrium, and other economic modelling on the other.
• To identify and advocate pro-poor livestock policy as it emerges from existing analysis.

The finalized papers will be edited and compiled for a special issue of a leading journal.

The conference is organized by scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) under the framework of the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets.

For further information, please contact Dolapo Enahoro (d.enahoro @ cgiar.org)

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

Study calls for participatory approach to prevent trypanocide drug resistance in West Africa

The prevention and management of trypanocide drug resistance in the cotton zone of West Africa are best addressed through a multi-sectoral approach that involves the participation of all actors, including manufacturers, sellers, drug users, regulators and extension providers, a new study recommends.

The study, accepted for publication in Veterinary Parasitology (19 April 2011), assessed the impact of different strategies for preventing and managing resistance to trypanocidal drugs commonly used to control the deadly cattle disease, trypanosomosis, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly and threatens the livelihoods of resource-poor smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rational drug use, participatory vector control and keeping of trypanotolerant cattle were identified as effective strategies in preventing drug resistance.

Read the abstract.

Citation
Clausen P-H, Mungube E, Bauer B, Zessinn K-H, Diall O, Bocoum Z, Sidibe I, Touratier L, Affognon H, Liebenehm S, Waibel H, Grace D and Randolph TF. 2011. Management of trypanosomosis and trypanocide resistance in smallholder livestock production systems of tsetse-infested sub-Saharan West Africa. Veterinary Parasitology. Article in press.

Related posts on Livestock Markets Digest
Study characterizes West African farmers' knowledge of cattle trypanosomosis

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

Study identifies key elements for successful adoption of rational drug use principles by livestock farmers in West Africa

Livestock data innovation project works to improve quality of livestock data in Africa

The Livestock Data Innovation in Africa project is a three-year (2010–2012) project that works with national governments and institutes to pilot and develop methodologies to identify, collect and analyze livestock data in three pilot countries: Niger, Tanzania and Uganda.

Among other objectives, the project seeks to establish and maintain communication networks between the suppliers and users of livestock data so that a core set of key livestock indicators and their associated data can be identified, regularly collected and shared in order to support targeted pro-poor investment and policy formulation.

The project is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and jointly implemented by the World Bank, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the African Union - Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

Study identifies key elements for successful adoption of rational drug use principles by livestock farmers in West Africa

Selling livestock at Niamana Market in Bamako, Mali. Adoption of rational drug use principles is a sustainable strategy in the fight against trypanosomosis in West Africa. (Photo credit: ILRI/Mann)

Creation of ‘knowledge champions’ through training of farmers, working with the mass media to create awareness and using participatory methods are among key factors necessary for successful uptake of rational drug use principles by livestock keepers in West Africa, according to a study  published in the February 2011 issue of the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability.

African animal trypanosomosis is one of the most severe cattle diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in losses valued at an estimated USD 4.5 billion annually.

While the disease may be tackled by keeping of trypanotolerant cattle breeds and controlling the tsetse fly vectors by insecticides, control of the disease-causing trypanosomes by treatment with drugs has been identified as the most important strategy. However, widespread use of trypanocide drugs often results in drug resistance and, consequently, treatment failure.

The adoption of the principles of rational drug use developed by the World Health Organization has been identified as one of several strategies that can help to sustainably combat African animal trypanosomosis in the cotton zone of West Africa where the disease is endemic and trypanocide drug resistance is high.

The principles call for the use of preventive mechanisms to decrease the need for drugs; reduce the use of drugs by substitutes; and ensure that drugs are used only if there is a clinical need for them and at a dose that is adequate.

The study evaluated the impact of training of smallholder farmers on rational drug use with respect to increased farmers’ knowledge and farm productivity.

Results of the impact assessment found that trained farmers were better able to identify signs of the disease, bought trypanocides from safe sources, and administered the medicines better than non-trained farmers, leading to a reduction in treatment failures which could be due to resistance.

In addition, using the appropriate amount of the drug enhanced productivity by way of reduced spending on trypanocides as compared to other vital farm inputs such as animal feeds.

In order to enhance the adoption of rational drug use principles by farmers, however, the study calls for the use of participatory methods that involve the existing village network structures in order to create awareness and transmit knowledge.

Dr Hippolyte Affognon, formerly a postdoctoral scientist with ILRI’s Market Opportunities theme, is a co-author.

Read the abstract and full-text paper here.

Citation

Liebenehm S, Affognon H and Waibel H. 2011. Collective livestock research for sustainable disease management in Mali and Burkina Faso. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 9(1): 212-221.

Find out more about the project on Preventing and containing trypanocide resistance in the cotton zone of West Africa.

Also see these related blog posts:

New journal article: Testing of trypanosomosis control strategies in West Africa's cotton zone (April 2010)

ILRI research report: influence of policy in control of trypanosomosis in West Africa (August 2009)

Study characterizes West African farmers' knowledge of cattle trypanosomosis (August 2009) 

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?

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.

ILRI research report: Efficiency of urban dairy markets in Ghana and Tanzania

ILRI Markets theme has this month (September 2009) published a research report that highlights the results of a study carried out in Ghana and Tanzania to determine which mechanisms for urban dairy markets work best in those countries.

The study was one of the first research projects to systematically address economic and public health issues in traditional milk markets in Africa. The results show that important opportunities for livelihoods continue to be created in such markets, which are dominated by small-scale market agents.

The authors recommend that policy efforts be harnessed towards bridging the gap between formal and informal dairy markets, and reducing milk-borne public health risks by training and licensing of informal milk market agents.

The report was written by ILRI Markets researchers Amos Omore, Steve Staal and Francis Wanyoike, together with partners from Ghana's Animal Research Institute and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania and the National Resources Institute, UK.

Access the report

Citation
Omore A, Staal SJ, Wanyoike F, Osafo ELK, Kurwijila L, Barton D, Mdoe N, Nurah G and Aning G. 2009. Market mechanisms and efficiency in urban dairy products markets in Ghana and Tanzania. ILRI Research Report 19. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. 56pp.

Study characterizes West African farmers' knowledge of cattle trypanosomosis

Farmers in the cotton zone of West Africa play a major role in the successful management of trypanosomosis, according to an article published in the August 2009 issue of the journal Acta Tropica.

The article titled Characterisation and validation of farmers' knowledge and practice of trypanosomosis management in the cotton zone of West Africa reports the results of a survey by researchers from ILRI's Market Opportunities Theme -- Delia Grace, Hippolyte Affognon and Thomas Randolph -- and partners on how farmers manage cattle trypanosomosis in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

The survey covered 895 farmers keeping 14,450 cattle.

Most farmers knew the common signs of trypanosomosis and considered it the most important cattle disease. Farmers used integrated strategies to prevent and control the disease, such as administering trypanocidal drugs, avoiding high-risk areas and keeping trypanotolerant cattle.

The researchers recommend further studies on the costs and benefits of farmer treatment of animals, in light of the importance of rational use of veterinary drugs.

Citation
Grace D, Randolph T, Affognon H, Dramane D, Diall O and Clausen P-H. 2009. Characterisation and validation of farmers' knowledge and practice of trypanosomosis management in the cotton zone of West Africa. Acta Tropica 111(2): 137-143.

Access the article

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.

Access the report