ILRI journal articles

Determinants of participation decisions and level of participation in farm level milk value addition: The case of smallholder dairy farmers in Ethiopia

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Determinants of participation decisions and level of participation in farm level milk value addition: The case of smallholder dairy farmers in Ethiopia Kuma, B.; Getnet, K.; Baker, D.; Kassa, B. On-farm value addition to farm products is recognized and highly promoted through value chain approaches for its benefit in terms of improving farm income. Growing demand and high price for value added milk products, together with the availability of ample livestock resources, would provide opportunities for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia to diversify their livelihoods. Nevertheless, their participation in milk value addition is perceived to be generally low. Apart from farm household characteristics, organizational and institutional issues influence farmers’ participation decisions and level of participation in-farm level milk value addition. By analyzing survey data using Heckman two-stage selection model, this article identified determinants of participation decisions and level of participation in-farm level milk value addition by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. The first-stage probit model estimation results indicate that milk yield, distance from urban centers, household demography (age and child), livestock extension services, the need to extend shelf life, consideration of milk products for social factors such as holidays and fasting, and availability of labor for milk value addition determined household’s decision to add values to milk. The results also show that most of the factors determining decision of participation in milk value addition also determined the level of participation.

Designing index based livestock insurance for managing asset risk in northern Kenya

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Designing index based livestock insurance for managing asset risk in northern Kenya Chantarat, S.; Mude, A.G.; Barrett, C.B.; Carter, M.R. This article describes a novel index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) product piloted among pastoralists in Northern Kenya, where insurance markets are effectively absent and uninsured risk exposure is a main cause of poverty. We describe the methodology used to design the contract and its underlying index of predicted area-average livestock mortality, established statistically using longitudinal observations of household-level herd mortality fit to remotely sensed vegetation data. Household-level performance analysis based on simulations finds that IBLI removes 25–40 percent of total livestock mortality risk. We describe the contract pricing and the risk exposures of the underwriter to establish IBLI's reinsurability on international markets.

Rural poverty dynamics in Kenya: Structural declines and stochastic escapes

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rural poverty dynamics in Kenya: Structural declines and stochastic escapes Radeny, M.; Berg, M. van den; Schipper, R, We use panel survey data and household event-histories to explore patterns of rural poverty dynamics in Kenya over the period 2000–2009. We find substantial mobility across poverty categories using economic transition matrices. Drawing on asset-based approaches, we distinguish stochastic from structural poverty transitions. Few households successfully escaped poverty through asset accumulation (up to 35% of the upwardly mobile), while a large proportion of households (up to 66%) declining into poverty experienced structural transitions. Using household event-histories, we find significant differences across structural poverty transition classes in livelihood strategies, household-level shocks, and other factors.

Stakeholder perspectives on breeding strategy and choice of breeds for livestock development in Bangladesh

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Stakeholder perspectives on breeding strategy and choice of breeds for livestock development in Bangladesh Jabbar, M.A.; Husain, S.S.; Islam, S.M.F.; Amin, M.R; Khandaker, M.A.M.Y.; Bhuiyan, A.K.F.H.; Ali, S.Z.; Faruque, O. In Bangladesh, a science based systematically organized pragmatic breeding policy has never been formulated and adopted. In breeding research and development projects, perspectives of stakeholders like researchers, extension agents and farmers on criteria for selection of breeds for adaptation in the country have not been adequately considered. In this paper, opinions of a sample of 128 university teachers, researchers and extension experts in the field of livestock and 196 farmers with at least one milking cow on criteria for selection of breeds and their relative weights and a number of other breed development issues are presented. The results show that there are significant differences among experts about the breeding objectives and strategies to be followed, on relative weights to be given on various traits for evaluation and selection of breeds and allocation of research resources on different species for breed development. Moreover, there are significant differences between experts and farmers about relative weights to be given for breed evaluation and selection, and on the extent of suitability of different available breeds for local adaptation. These results indicate that breeding research and development needs to be based on more such studies to facilitate serious debate and arrive at a consensus for adoption of long-term breeding policy.

Enhancing innovation in livestock value chains through networks: Lessons from fodder innovation case studies in developing countries

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Enhancing innovation in livestock value chains through networks: Lessons from fodder innovation case studies in developing countries Ayele, S.; Duncan, A.J.; Larbi, A.; Truong Tan Khanh Fodder scarcity is a perennial problem for many smallholder farmers in developing countries. This paper discusses how fodder technologies and knowledge have been introduced and integrated in diverse livestock production systems in Ethiopia, Syria and Vietnam. A synthesis of lessons learnt shows that fodder innovation is triggered and diffused by actors interacting and learning in networks, and on farms. Fodder innovation, being only one element of livestock value chains, is sustainably enhanced when linked to other innovations and market-oriented activities that optimize productivity gains. Yet innovating smallholder farmers face systemic constraints to access markets, and need to organize in groups to exploit opportunities. The paper concludes that rather than treating innovation systems and value chain approaches to agricultural development as separate tools, the integration of their complementary features enhances smallholders’ innovation and market success.

Plasma levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 during a course of experimental contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Plasma levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 during a course of experimental contagious bovine pleuropneumonia Sacchini, F.; Luciani, M.; Salini, R.; Scacchia, M.; Pini, A.; Lelli, R.; Naessens, J.; Poole, J.; Jores, J. Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. The current live vaccine T1/44 has limited efficacy and occasionally leads to severe side effects in the animals. A better understanding of the immune responses triggered by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides and their role in disease progression will help to facilitate the design of a rational vaccine. Currently, knowledge of cytokines involved in immunity and immunopathology in CBPP is rather limited. The aim of this study was to characterize the in vivo plasma concentrations of the cytokines TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10 and the overall role of CD4+ T cells in the development of cytokine levels during a primary infection. Plasma cytokine concentrations in two groups of cattle (CD4+ T cell-depleted and non-depleted cattle) experimentally infected with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides were measured and their relationship to the clinical outcomes was investigated.

The origin of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster coincides with domestication of ruminants

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The origin of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster coincides with domestication of ruminants Fischer, A.; Shapiro, B.; Muriuki, C.; Heller, M.; Schnee, C.; Bongcam-Rudloff, E.; Frey, J.; Jores, J. The ‘Mycoplasma mycoides cluster’ comprises the ruminant pathogens Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae the agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum, Mycoplasma leachii and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri. CBPP and CCPP are major livestock diseases and impact the agricultural sector especially in developing countries through reduced food-supply and international trade restrictions. In addition, these diseases are a threat to disease-free countries. We used a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach to gain insights into the demographic history of and phylogenetic relationships among the members of the ‘M. mycoides cluster’. We collected partial sequences from seven housekeeping genes representing a total of 3,816 base pairs from 118 strains within this cluster, and five strains isolated from wild Caprinae. Strikingly, the origin of the ‘M. mycoides cluster’ dates to about 10,000 years ago, suggesting that the establishment and spread of the cluster coincided with livestock domestication. In addition, we show that hybridization and recombination may be important factors in the evolutionary history of the cluster.

Interdependence of smallholders’ net market positions in mixed crop-livestock systems of Ethiopian highlands

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Interdependence of smallholders’ net market positions in mixed crop-livestock systems of Ethiopian highlands Jaleta, M.; Gebremedhin, B.