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.

Vietnam pigs project launches website

A new website has been launched for the project "Improving the competitiveness of pig producers in an adjusting Vietnam market".

The project is working to identify an appropriate policy and technology framework and forms of market and institution coordination that will allow smallholder pig producers in Vietnam to competitively raise their incomes through better access to higher value market chains.

The project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and is a partnership involving ILRI, the Vietnam Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (IPSARD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxfam and University of Queensland.

New dairy project to improve livelihoods of one million people in East Africa

A USD 42.8 million project aimed at lifting one million people in East Africa out of poverty was launched in Nairobi in May 2008.

Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Heifer International, the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project aims to help 179,000 families – or one million people – double their incomes by increasing production of high-quality raw milk for sale to commercial dairies.

The EADD project will develop 30 milk collection hubs with cooling facilities where dairy farmers will bring raw milk for collection by commercial dairies. It will particularly target women for inclusion in both the benefits of the project and its leadership.

The four-year project (2008–2012) will be implemented in selected districts in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Heifer International will manage the project with two partner organizations, TechnoServe and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

Other collaborators are the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the African Breeders Services Total Cattle Management (ABS-TCM). ICRAF will provide farmers with improved feeding strategies to increase milk productivity while ABS will provide farmers with artificial insemination services and assist in milk testing activities.

For more about information, please visit the project website.

Global roadmap launched for better tools to control FMD in endemic settings

A Global Roadmap for improving the tools to control foot and mouth disease (FMD) in endemic settings was launched at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on 17 April 2007.

Brian Perry represented ILRI at the launch of the international initiative to promote research that will deliver new and improved methods for controlling FMD that are applicable to endemic settings.

Download the document.

Citation

Perry BD and Sones KR (eds). 2007. Global Roadmap for improving the tools to control foot-and-mouth disease in endemic settings. Report of a workshop held at Agra, India, 29 November-1 December 2006, and subsequent Roadmap outputs. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. pp. 88 and a CD.

New information resource showcases ILRI's smallholder dairy research for development

ILRI's Markets Theme has launched a new information resource titled White Gold: Investing in Dairy for Development. This resource – a combined brochure and multimedia CD-ROM – is the first in ILRI’s Briefing for Development publication series.

It highlights the problems, opportunities and risks that smallholder dairy operators face and showcases the relevance of ILRI’s research in the area of smallholder dairying.

By combining the brochure, CD and hyperlinks to relevant websites, a wide range of information in various media is made accessible in one product.

This resource is useful for senior policymakers and development partners interested in policy interventions that will encourage the appropriate evolution of traditional dairy markets.

Download the brochure