ILRI Blog Posts and News Updates

Entomological studies to inform Rift Valley fever control in Uganda

2023-06-22

Researchers in Uganda are conducting entomological (mosquito) studies to identify mosquito species that can potentially transmit the Rift Valley fever virus. Researchers are also studying the mosquitoes’ host preferences and assessing insecticide resistance in mosquitoes collected from the southwestern districts of Isingiro, Sembabule and Lyantonde, where livestock have been exposed to the virus in previous outbreaks of the disease.

This research is taking place at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) following the remodelling and renovation of the institute’s insectary to an ‘Arthropod containment level 1’ facility and capacity development of its scientists. The upgrading of the insectary and the ongoing research was supported by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the One Health Research, Education and Outreach Centre in Africa (OHRECA) and the Boosting Uganda’s Investment in Livestock Development (BUILD) project at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

In 2016, for the first time in 48 years, Uganda reported a localized case of Rift Valley fever in Kabale District. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, the outbreak involved 16 human cases of whom 7 died. From the investigations conducted in the district following the outbreak, cattle, goats and sheep had a seroprevalence rate of 27% (86/324), 7% (40/569) and 4% (7/158), respectively. Since then, at least 10 subsequent outbreaks have been reported in the country. An analysis of historical data on Rift Valley fever outbreaks shows that the areas most affected by the disease lie within or border the livestock migratory corridor that connects the southwestern and northeastern parts of Uganda. Outbreaks occur following periods of above normal rainfall and flooding, which enable many of the mosquito vector species to thrive.

Patrick Abila, an Entomologist shows one of the insect traps used during Entomology studies at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) (photo credit: ILRI/PWairagala).

Under the five-year BUILD project (Jan 2019-Dec 2023), staff at NaLIRRI have conducted serological screening and molecular characterization of circulating Rift Valley fever strains collected during the 2016 outbreak in Uganda, whose samples were stored at ILRI, the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC) and the Uganda Virus Research Institute. Socioeconomic studies with livestock keepers to assess their knowledge about the disease, its impact and potential entry points for vaccine introduction, including aspects such as the role of gender in disease transmission and management have also been conducted.

At a stakeholder and media visit to the facility, Patrick Abila, a PhD fellow with the BUILD program and an entomologist at NaLIRRI said, 'The research will help us understand the mosquito species responsible for Rift Valley fever transmission in both humans and animals, and how to manage their populations. This will contribute to the vector control policies of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and that of Health.’

Similar work has been conducted in Kenya under the BUILD project, on samples collected during a 2018 outbreak. In both countries, researchers have also tested the samples for co-infection with other pathogens which cause disease symptoms like those of Rift Valley fever.

More outputs on Rift Valley fever from the BUILD project in Uganda

Spatial distribution of Rift Valley fever virus antibodies across livestock in Uganda: Tumusiime, D., Isingoma, E., Tashoroora, O.B., Ndumu, D.B., Bahati, M., Nantima, N., Mugizi, D.R., Jost, C. and Bett, B. 2023. Mapping the risk of Rift Valley fever in Uganda using national seroprevalence data from cattle, sheep and goats. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 17(5): e0010482.
New molecular diagnostic tools to detect Rift Valley fever virus in livestock and humans
Socio-economic drivers and impact of Rift Valley fever in Uganda
Early detection of Rift Valley fever outbreaks through community-based syndromic surveillance

Tackling food safety challenges in informal markets: New approaches are needed

2023-06-19

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7 June every year to raise awareness on food safety and inspire action to help prevent and manage foodborne risks, to contribute to human health, food and nutrition security, economic prosperity, market access and sustainable development.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) celebrated World Food Safety Day 2023 with the online launch of an ILRI-commissioned report, New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries, by Spencer Henson, Steven Jaffee and Shuo Wang. Spencer Henson is a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph, Canada. Steven Jaffee is a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, United States of America. Shuo Wang is a graduate student, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland.

The event began with welcoming remarks from Silvia Alonso, principal scientist and epidemiologist at ILRI, who emphasized the importance of World Food Safety Day and the launching of the report. The opening speakers, Appolinaire Djikeng, director general of ILRI, and Julian Lampietti, manager for Global Engagement in the Agriculture and Food Global Practice at the World Bank, expressed gratitude to the partners and scientists who have prioritized food safety over the years and the World Bank for its ongoing collaboration. They highlighted the alarming numbers surrounding food safety, with at least half a million people dying yearly from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries. The associated economic costs are at least 115 billion United States dollars per year.

Overall, the event shed light on the complexities surrounding food safety in informal markets. The informal sector contributes significantly to the food security and livelihoods of millions, particularly in rapidly growing urban spaces. However, challenges arise due to a lack of clear regulatory frameworks and governance issues. The speakers discussed the need for demand-driven approaches and incentives for behaviour change while also highlighting the importance of public sector involvement, knowledge sharing, regulatory measures and infrastructure investments.

Steven Jaffee, one of the report’s authors, provided a short overview. The report, he said, highlighted the deficiencies in food safety awareness, conditions and strategies for reducing exposure in fragmented food systems and informal distribution channels. It underscored the central role of the informal sector in food safety issues and called for a nuanced approach to address the challenges.

Delia Grace, professor of food safety systems at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich and joint-appointed scientist at ILRI, emphasized that the health impact of foodborne diseases is comparable to that of malaria, HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis. She discussed ILRI’s food safety research initiatives and interventions in India, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. That research, she said, highlights the need for a ‘three-legged stool’ approach involving incentives for behaviour change, capacity building and an enabling environment to scale interventions successfully.

Representatives from the World Health Organization, Food Future Foundation in India, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the African Union Commission and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Resilience and Food Security provided their insights and responses to the report. They highlighted the need for context-specific and comprehensive strategies, the importance of behaviour change approaches and the recognition of informal markets as a crucial component of the food system. The discussions emphasized the significance of strengthening institutional capabilities, enabling collaboration and improving food safety through a multi-sectoral approach.

Hung Nguyen-Viet, co-leader of ILRI's Animal and Human Health program and leader of the CGIAR Initiative on One Health, provided concluding remarks. He thanked the panellists for their valuable contributions but noted that not all speakers explicitly referred to the One Health framework, which serves as a crucial pillar for understanding food safety, and the quadripartite One Health joint plan of action, which includes food safety as one of the key pillars. While we have sufficient knowledge about the risks associated with food safety in traditional markets, he said, we still need to improve our collaboration and tailor recommendations for on-the-ground interventions to enhance food safety. He concluded that food security cannot be achieved without safe food.

Acknowledgements and partnerships
The speakers expressed gratitude to scientists, funders and partners who have collaborated with ILRI, including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, UK Aid, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the World Bank. They also highlighted the long-standing partnership between ILRI and CGIAR, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in addressing the massive challenge of foodborne disease affecting 600 million people annually. The publication of the report was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health and the CGIAR Initiative on One Health.

Selling pork at a traditional 'wet' market in Hung Yen province, northern Vietnam (photo credit: ILRI/HUPH/Ngan Tran).

For more information, visit the ILRI landing page celebrating World Food Safety Day 2023 that showcases our food safety projects, publications, stories and key messages. The page also highlights the profiles of ILRI scientists involved in food safety research.

Comprehensive new report tackles food safety risks

2023-06-19

Key messages

•    Despite ongoing structural changes, small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors and food service operators dominate the food systems of most low- and lower-middle-income countries;
•    Unsafe food is widespread in informal food distribution channels, having national public health implications;
•    Very few countries have coherent strategies for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector;
•    Most of the policy attention and resources now devoted to domestic food safety in the developing world focuses on strengthening centralized systems for ‘food control’;
•    Doing more of the same things is not going to deliver safer food in the informal sector.

A groundbreaking report commissioned by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the CGIAR Initiative on One Health highlights the urgent need for innovative strategies to address food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries. The report, New Directions for Tackling Food Safety Risks in the Informal Sector of Developing Countries, sheds light on the dominant role of small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors, and food service operators in informal markets in more than 20 low- and lower-middle-income countries' food systems and emphasizes that a wholesale shift is needed to operationalize safer food in the informal sector.

Despite ongoing structural changes, the prevalence of small-scale food businesses remains prominent in the food systems of most developing countries. These informal players play a crucial role in the domestic markets for high-nutrient foods such as fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables.

“Previous studies have shown widespread issues of food contamination within informal food distribution networks,” said Steven Jaffee, one of the co-authors of the report and lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Maryland. Factors contributing to this problem include inadequate food safety awareness, poor hygiene practices, substandard food storage and preparation methods, and deficient infrastructure and environmental conditions.

Regrettably, very few countries have coherent strategies in place to address food safety risks in the informal sector and surveys have shown low levels of food safety among workers in that sector. Current approaches often focus on disrupting small-scale operators in an attempt to replace them with a vision of a "modern" food system.

“Over the past two decades, ILRI has been working with national and local authorities to create an enabling environment, providing training and appropriate technologies to value chain actors, and most importantly, assuring incentives are in place for better practice by food producers, handlers and consumers,“ says Hung Nguyen, co-leader of the Animal and Human Health Program at ILRI.

Most existing policies and resources aimed at domestic food safety in developing countries concentrate on strengthening centralized systems for "food control." While investments have been made in testing laboratories, food company inspection units, and national agency capacities, these efforts primarily focus on medium and larger food enterprises within the formal sector. Insufficient attention has been given to informal food operators and businesses, resulting in a missed opportunity to improve food safety in this crucial sector.

“It is clear that doing more of the same will not yield safer food in the informal sector”, says Spencer Henson, a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph, Canada, and a co-author of the report. “Nothing less than a paradigm shift is required to effectively address food safety risks moving forward”.

The report recommends the following key approaches:

1. Local action, centrally guided: Interventions, both regulatory and facilitative, should primarily be implemented at the municipal level. National agencies can play a pivotal role in mobilizing resources, providing guidelines, and offering technical support. Multistakeholder platforms, involving consumers, communities, business associations, and government bodies, should be strengthened and utilized to drive the agenda for safer food in the informal sector.
2. Multisectoral action: Enhancing the safety of food in the informal sector should be integrated with interventions focused on nutrition improvement, access to clean water and sanitation, environmental management, and urban infrastructure upgrades. Mainstreaming food safety into urban planning and municipal service delivery is essential.
3. Rebalancing the use of sticks and carrots: Rather than strictly enforcing regulatory provisions, a gradual and continuous improvement approach should be pursued. Informal market operators should be engaged and enabled to strengthen their incentives and capacities to provide safer food. Cities and local ministries should consider employing food hygiene and business advisors to support operators instead of relying solely on regulatory inspections.
4. Differentiating local strategies and priorities: A tailored approach is necessary since a "one size fits all" solution is impractical. The risk profile and potential for interventions vary among different types of informal food operators and within countries. The decentralized and multisectoral approach should be pragmatically adapted to specific circumstances, with a focus on effective coalitions for action and the sequencing or integration of interventions.

The report highlights several examples of existing initiatives offering valuable insights into the successful application of decentralized and multisectoral approaches. By adopting innovative and inclusive strategies to tackle food safety risks in the informal sector, developing countries can enhance public health, promote sustainable urban development, and uplift the livelihoods of millions of informal food operators.

“The challenge now is to convince funders and implementers to take these successful and affordable approaches to scale,” says Hung Nguyen.

Makara market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (photo credit: ILRI/Hardisman Dasman).

ILRI and partners support participatory rangeland management legislation in Isiolo County, Kenya

2023-06-15

One of the challenges to sustainable rangeland management and conservation in northern Kenya is weak land tenure security and related policies. This is because of insufficient policy attention, limited legislation, and poor implementation of existing laws to provide land tenure security for local communities in pastoralist areas. As a result, pastoralist communities often lack a strong incentive to invest in their land and ensure the sustainable use of rangelands.

In Isiolo, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), through the One Health Units for Humans, Environment, Animals, and Livelihoods (HEAL) project, along with the county government and other partners, have supported the Isiolo County rangelands management bill through its final phases. Through a consortium led by Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Suisse, ILRI and Amref, the HEAL project supports a One Health approach that combines medical, veterinary, and rangeland health expertise for more efficient service provision in the county.

Aiming to establish guidelines on institutional structures and public participation in rangeland management and conservation, the Isiolo County Rangelands management bill also includes provisions for information access. Once completed, the bill, complementary to the Kenya Community Land Act of 2016, is designed to promote land tenure security and, as a result, influence good land stewardship.

The participatory process of developing the Isiolo County rangelands management bill has included workshops and consultations with stakeholders drawn from the national government, the county government, non-governmental organizations, community representatives, and extensive public participation. In a recent workshop, ILRI and the HEAL project reviewed the draft and recommended final edits before the bill goes for final public comments.

Appropriate legal frameworks and mechanisms like the Isiolo rangeland bill provide a stable foundation for implementing conservation and sustainable rangeland management efforts. One such initiative is the innovative Participatory Rangeland Management (PRM), developed by ILRI through the CGIAR Initiative on Livestock and Climate. PRM helps communities and stakeholders map out their resources and jointly plan how to use them sustainably.

In a workshop held in March 2023, stakeholders agreed to include the conservancy management committees in the existing ward planning committees and assign them clearly distinguished roles. On the touchy topic of conflict resolution, it was agreed that the bill be limited to handling natural resource management conflict and leave other peace-building efforts to the peace and cohesion departments.

Subsequent workshops and public engagement activities are planned for the final review and presentation of the bill for approval by the county government. The process is supported by:

The Isiolo County Government Departments of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Environment and Water
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)
The National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA)
Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD)
AMAYA Triangle Initiative
VSF-Suisse
NAWIRI-Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
SNV
Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC)
Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)
Community representatives

Photo credit: Jason Sircely/ILRI

Narok on the way to becoming a One Health champion county in Kenya

2023-06-14

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Narok County government recently hosted an engaging two-day workshop that sought to bridge the gap between human, animal and environmental health. The event revolved around reviewing progress and exchanging knowledge on past, ongoing and planned activities under the One Health concept, which targets a comprehensive and integrated approach to public health.

Held on 4–5 May 2023 in Narok County, Kenya, the workshop followed a previous meeting held between ILRI and Narok County in December 2021, where stakeholders identified key One Health challenges and opportunities in the county. This workshop included consultative sessions on partnerships for One Health projects in Narok County.

One Health is a multi-sector approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health and employs a holistic perspective to better understand and solve public health threats. In Narok County, where livestock and wildlife-related production are key economic activities, the One Health approach can help to address the challenges of zoonotic diseases, food safety and antimicrobial resistance resulting from interactions between wildlife, livestock, humans and the environment.

Participants at the Narok One Health workshop (photo credit: ILRI/Geoffrey Njenga).

Takeaways from key speakers

Queen Kimorgo, Narok’s chief officer for livestock development, highlighted the challenges faced by the county, such as climate change, disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance, and called for collaboration in mitigation: ‘Let us harness the bountiful resources of Narok County, recognize the vital role of livestock in livelihoods and nutrition, and unite under the One Health platform to overcome our challenges. Together, we can build a sustainable and healthy future for Narok County.’

Emphasizing the necessity for a unified approach to health service provision in Narok County, Lucy Kashu, the chief officer for preventive and promotive health services, underlined the immense potential for partnership in promoting health. She said harnessing collective efforts towards disease prevention would not only strengthen the county health system but also free up significant resources for vital sectors such as agriculture, livestock and education, thereby boosting the overall economy.

And Hung Nguyen, co-leader of the Animal and Human Health Program at ILRI and leader of the CGIAR Initiative on One Health, underscored the significance of the One Health approach in addressing vital challenges.

‘Our battles against zoonotic diseases, food safety issues and the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance emphasize the intricate bond between human and animal health. We must confront the profound impact of animal-originated infectious diseases on human health and stand together against the increasing deaths from antimicrobial resistance,’ Nguyen said.

Two ILRI graduate fellows, Daisy Chebet and Walter Oguta, presented their research on the urgent need for action to prevent antibiotic misuse and increase awareness among farmers. They emphasized the importance of policies and regulations to control the use of antibiotics in livestock production systems and a holistic approach to address antimicrobial resistance.

Towards the end of the workshop, the ILRI team held a side-meeting with senior county officials where they discussed getting the Narok One Health platform officially recognized by the top county leadership so that it is funded in the next budgeting cycle. They also discussed the possibility of a memorandum of understanding between the county and ILRI, to solidify their collaboration. The memorandum of understanding would serve as a formal agreement, outlining the shared goals and commitments in advancing the One Health approach in Narok County. Study results from Narok will be published as scientific articles and policy briefs, making it one of the One Health champion counties in Kenya.

The next steps involve ILRI’s One Health Research, Education and Outreach Centre in Africa (OHRECA), evaluating the competencies of the Narok One Health platform based on six criteria: One Health thinking, planning, working (operations), sharing, learning and system organization. This will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the platform by helping to identify gaps in the achievement of better health outcomes for both humans and animals. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing to expedite the implementation of the action points from the workshop.

This work is supported by the CGIAR Initiative on One Health and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through OHRECA. We thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.

Read more about One Health research at ILRI:

Watch video highlights of the workshop below.

Charan Chantalakhana: Leading Southeast Asian livestock researcher

2023-06-12

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is sad to report that Professor Charan Chantalakhana, Southeast Asia's leading livestock researcher and academic who so ably served the very first years of the establishment of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), died on 4 June 2023, at the age of 88, in Thailand.

Top right: Drawing of Charan Chantalakhana by his son-in-law; top left: memorial service for Charan; middle left: Charan at a ceremony; bottom: Charan (second from right) with Lindsay Falvey (left) and others (all photos by Lindsay Falvey).

Charan’s life’s work centered on smallholder farming systems, especially cattle and buffalo genetic improvement. His pioneering work in this area led to development of a new cattle breed called ‘Kamphaeng Saen’. Needing lower levels of inputs and growing to weights three times those of the native cattle, the Kamphaeng Saen breed has helped small dairy farmers reduce the cost of production and expand dairy herds in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Charan initiated the establishment of the Thailand National Buffalo Center and Association, was a founding member of the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies and a co-founder of the Asian Buffalo Association.

Throughout his career, Charan actively mentored students and trainees in the field of animal science and genetics, many of whom now hold key positions in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. His many decades of committed service advanced the well-being of farmers in Thailand and in the region as a whole. His work touched the lives of millions of people, especially those dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Charan Chantalakhana was born in 1936 at Songkhla, Thailand. He attended Iowa State University, where he received a B.S. in animal science (1959) and as M.S. (1962) and a Ph.D. (1968) in animal breeding. Back in Thailand, he joined the staff of Kasetsart University as an animal scientist in 1962, working on indigenous Thai cattle and swamp buffalo and their respective crossbred dairy cattle. He later served as dean of the faculty of natural resources at Prince of Songkhla University, Thailand (1978–1979), then, back at Kasetsart University, he served as head of the animal science department, as vice president (1986–1990) and as director of Suwanvajokkasikit Animal Research and Development Institute (SARDI) (1992–1996). Finally, he served as chair of Thaksin University, a public university in southern Thailand.

Charan was appointed vice chair of ILRI’s first board of trustees, on which he served for five years, from 1995, the first year of ILRI’s operations, through 2000. Before that, Charan was a member of the CGIAR Technical Advisory Committee, from 1987 through 1990. Over his long and illustrious career, he was the Thailand Research Fund Senior Research Fellow for dairy research and development. He was a member of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) / United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Panel of Experts on Animal Genetic Resources and Management. And he served as president of both the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies) (AAAP) and the Animal Husbandry Association of Thailand (AHAT).

Beginning in 1995, at ILRI, Charan helped to develop the new institute’s ambitious global strategy (ILRI’s two predecessors, the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases and the International Livestock Research Centre, had both focused on Africa). In 1999, he co-edited with Lindsay Falvey (who later himself became chair of ILRI’s board of trustees), a book published by ILRI titled Smallholder Dairying in the Tropics. He later participated in a strategic stakeholder conversation that resulted in ILRI Strategy 2013–2022: Implications for East and Southeast Asia Report on a Stakeholder Consultation (2013). Charan’s commitment to ILRI expanding its research into Asia was complete. A question that he posed nearly three decades ago continues to be quoted by ILRI staff: ‘Is ILRI going to go to Asia in big ships or small canoes?’

Charan was a prolific as well as generous researcher, publishing widely in research journals and writing no less than ten books concerning livestock while also teaching various courses including research methodology and statistics. He received several awards for his research achievements related to buffalo production and village livestock farming. Among these was an honourary degree of Doctor of Agricultural Science bestowed by the University of Melbourne in 1996 and the Dioscoro L. Umali Achievement Award in Agricultural Development bestowed by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in 2009.

Please read the eulogy written by Lindsay Falvey, which follows, for a fuller understanding and appreciation of the many achievements Prof Charan Chantalakhana made over his long life and the many benefits his life’s work has bestowed on the farmers and consumers, the students and academics, and the research partners that he served so well and so generously for so many decades.

Note: If you would like to leave a tribute here, please email it to s.macmillan [at] cgiar.org at we'll include it at a later date.

Eulogy by Lindsay Falvey

Dr Charan has been a great friend for over half a century. We first met in the 1970s when he was already a revered leader, and we soon developed a close friendship that continued to deepen over the years. He taught me so much, about Thailand, about Thai people, about smallholder animal science and about life—he did this by gradually sharing snippets about his own life, growing up, in the US and his early professional life.

Over the decades we collaborated on many projects, ranging from an influential book on tropical dairying, through deliberations about Gross Domestic Happiness and in recent years establishing an innovative graduate program in the city of his birth. His life has been a blessing to me, to countless students, to the international science community and to the world’s smallholder farmers.

From his birth in 1936 in Songkhla in relative poverty as the third of nine children, the young Charan grew to an adult who demonstrated a life well-lived with high moral values oriented to helping marginalized small farmers. His philosophy of service, fostered by respect for his Muslim roots and Buddhist experience as a young temple boy, was honed by an understanding the minds of Westerners during his graduate studies.

Dr Charan often reminisced about how he used to lay near the Samila seashore as the wind whispered through the Casuarina trees, and from that experience developed a reflective life from an early age. Attending Vajiranukul and then Mahawachirawut schools, he was recognized as an exceptional student to enter Kasetsart University, where he was identified for a Rockefeller Scholarship to Iowa State University in the USA as one of three high-achieving young Thai science students of that era. In the US he completed three degrees—B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. over successive years, with a break to come back to Thailand on the advice of his mentor to complement his brilliance with practical learning from small farmers and rural Thai people. His Ph.D. thesis remains accessible as ‘Cow Weights and Other Factors Affecting Calf Weaning Weight’, Iowa State University Ph.D., 1968 Biology-Genetics. His chosen specialty was animal genetics, one of the most complex of the sciences and from that basis he went on to widen his knowledge for research on indigenous Thai cattle and swamp buffalo and their respective crossbreds, including exotic dairy cattle. Our paths crossed a few years after he had returned to Thailand and never parted until now.

Dr Charan’s unlikely origins produced an animal scientist revered throughout Thailand, who soon after this time was to become an inspirational scientific personality in global agricultural research and development.

In Thailand, he became dean of the faculty of natural resources at the Prince of Songkhla University, vice-president of Kasetsart University, director of the Suwanvajokkasikit Animal Research Development Institute and senior advisor to the Thailand Research Fund, among many other appointments. His tireless efforts promoting smallholder farming systems and his pioneering work on cattle and buffalo

genetic improvement led to the development of a new cattle breed. This ‘Kamphaeng Saen’ breed was three times more productive than the native cattle, which allowed small dairy farmers to become economically viable across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Through such experience, he then initiated the Thailand National Buffalo Center and Association, co-founded the Asian Buffalo Association and was a key foundation member of the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies. The connection to Australia was to become even stronger over time.

Beginning as a lecturer in the department of animal science at Kasetsart University in 1962, he rose to become an associate professor in 1978, then professor level 10 in 1982 and finally to the exceptional professor level 11 in 1988. After retirement, he continued as a special lecturer at: the National Institute of Development Studies for the master of applied statistics degree, at Chulalongkorn University for the master's degree in statistics, and at various other institutions, including Mahidol University, the Asian Institute of Technology, Prince of Songkhla University, Thammasat University, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, the Office of the Civil Service Commission, Khon Kaen University, Chiang Mai University and many Rajabhat universities.

His research appointments included: head of Thap Kwang Research Station (1963–1966), pioneering the Kamphaeng Saen campus and its research station (1968–¬1973), head of the department of animal husbandry at Kasetsart University (1974–1976 and 1984–1986), assistant dean for development in the faculty of agriculture at Kasetsart University (1975–1978), dean of the faculty of natural resources at Prince of Songkhla University (1978¬–1979), assistant secretary to the minister of agriculture and cooperatives (1979–1980), head of the Buffalo and Cattle Production Research and Development Center (1984–1991), vice president for academic affairs at Kasetsart University (1986–1988) and vice president for research and development planning at Kasetsart University (1988–1990).

Internationally, Dr Charan became the leading Asian animal scientist when he was selected to join the elite three-person Technical Advisory Committee of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, the organization that coordinated global research plans across 16 multi-million-dollar research campuses serving developing countries. Subsequently he was appointed as vice chair of the board of one of the major centres in that group, the International Livestock Research institute, which conducted research across tens of additional centres in the developing world and some 60 countries. To name just a few of his other international contributions, Dr Charan served on the FAO Expert Panel on Animal Genetic Resources in the 1970s and the Editorial Advisory Board of Animal Breeding Abstracts published by CABI for five years. He served as technical advisor for the International Foundation for Science of Sweden for about 10 years and as president of the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies between 1990 and 1992. Participating in international conferences several times each year during his active decades, he worked across tens of countries in Asia, Europe, America and Africa.

The impact of his ability and contributions can be traced through some of his numerous awards and honours, including: the Gamma Sigma Delta Membership Award, Iowa State University, 1959; the Centennial Scholar Award for Outstanding Foreign Graduate Student, Iowa State University, 1962; the Science Pioneer Prize at the World Buffalo Research, 1985; the Outstanding Agricultural Scientist of the Year, 1991; the Honorary Doctorate in Science (Agriculture) from Prince of Songkla University, 1996; the Honorary Doctorate in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne, 1996; and the Dioscoro L. Umali Achievement Award in Agricultural Development for Collaboration in the Southeast Asian Region, 2009.

As a member of several associations, he set an example of contributing back to the professions from which he had benefitted, including: the Biometrics Society; the Society for Advancement in Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania, for which he served as regional secretary; the Thai Society of Agricultural Science; the Thai Society of Statistics; the Animal Husbandry Association of Thailand, for which he twice served as president; the Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies, for which he served as vice-president and president; and the Asian Buffalo Association, for which he served as vice president. Throughout his professional careers and until his final years, Dr Charan was a prolific author in both English and Thai languages; more than ten of his books concern livestock while others share his wisdom about life and living self-sufficiently.

Dr Charan’s generosity of spirit ensured that whoever he met felt accepted and embraced by his culturally diverse sense of humour and sharp intellect, spiced by a taste for good wine—from Coonawarra, if possible. An international colleague commented to me on learning of his passing that we should toast his life with a glass of Penfolds Bin 2; I think Dr Charan’s spirit will appreciate that.

When I reflect on my good friend, now gone, I recall his advice at difficult times in my life, his ‘muditā’ joy at another’s boons, and his openness to share his own experiences. Once, when Dr Charan and I took a private study and research tour of Angkor Wat, sharing a room to save money for needy local assistants and for dinners, he explained his meditation practice as quietly writing longhand being a means of focusing and clarifying his mind to see how he could assist others. This was not academic writing to pad the list of his publications even though his publication list ran into hundreds; it was studying, reading and writing in order to orient his research, academic and administrative service to benefit society across the long term. It included his philosophy of living within one’s means, of being generous to others and learning from persons in all stations of life and situations. Our literary collaborations migrated towards philosophical and cultural works; some of his most insightful thoughts are contained in his Thai language books, which I hope young aspirants will read today and into the future.

Some of Dr Charan’s recent great contributions have been through Thaksin University, where he served as a member of the Thaksin University Council and then as its chair. At the university, he inspired cultural and scientific research and centres, stimulated creation of a course that allowed rural peasants to teach students of rural life and supported the international graduate program. The last initiative, unique in Thailand, introduced an internationally supervised and examined research Ph.D. program that has graduates and candidates from Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, the USA and Vietnam and has increased the university’s international standing.

I have been blessed to share so much of Dr Charan’s life. A true friend, he came to celebrate with my wife and I soon after our wedding In Melbourne, and then again to my sixtieth birthday celebration at which he spoke impressively. I shall miss him, as shall so many whose lives he touched. His legacy continues through his families, and though the institutions and projects that he created, and through the thousands of students he has taught and mentored in Thailand and across the developing world.

—Lindsay Falvey, FTSE, FAIAS, University of Melbourne Professor Emeritus, Australian Commissioner for International Agricultural Research, ILRI Emeritus Fellow and former chair of ILRI’s board of trustees, Australia

Header photo: Clipping from the University of Melbourne's weekly 'Uni News' on 12 July 1996 about the university conferring Charan Chantalakhana with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Agricultural Science.

Tribute from Mohammed Jabbar,independent agriculture and food policy consultant and former ILRI researcher, Bangladesh

I am extremely sorry to hear the sad news about Dr Charan Chantalakhana. My sincere condolences to his family.

ILRI has lost a well-wisher and long-time friend. I have lost an elder brotherly friend who inspired me both as a scientist and as a superb human being.

I met Charan for the first time back in 1983 while serving as a resource person for a four-week training course on Socio-economic Research Issues and Methods for Smallholder Livestock Production Systems sponsored by the Agricultural Development Council Inc. (which merged with Winrock International in 1985) and hosted by Kasetsart University. ADC Program Officer Dr Theodore Panayotou and Charan co-managed the course. Resource persons were drawn from Thailand as well as internationally. About 20 participants—young agricultural economists and a few rural sociologists—came from South and Southeast Asian countries.

In addition to his managerial tasks, Charan also delivered a few lectures on farming systems, especially the emerging commercial poultry and pig industries in Thailand, and their uncertain consequences for the smallholder subsistence livestock production systems there, then highlighted the importance of socioeconomic analysis for development of smallholder livestock development strategies.

So here was a livestock scientist who appreciated the need for taking a systems approach as well as the important role of social science in developing smallholder livestock development strategies. That was an instant encouragement for me as, among other things, my interest in livestock had developed rather accidentally, but initially I found few livestock scientists who appreciated the role of systems approaches as well as social science and few economists who were interested in livestock. So I came back with a good feeling, but I lost connection with Charan until many years later, when he joined the ILRI Board of Trustees in 1995.

When ILRI's mandate was expanded to Asia and we explored research priorities and strategies for Asia under the leadership of Dr C Devendra, Charan's long-time friend and collaborator, we benefited from Charan's numerous suggestions and advice. Later, ILRI’s research team in Southeast Asia, operating from the campus of the International Rice Research Institute, in the Philippines, and later from Hanoi, always benefited from his support as a scientist in addition to his role as an ILRI board member and vice-chair. Charan wished ILRI did more in that region compared to what was being done.

Behind his apparently reserved personality, he was a highly humorous person. His after-dinner jokes about the lighter side of human life and society entertained many who enjoyed his company at meetings and conferences as well as in informal settings.

After I retired from ILRI in 2007, I had several consultancy/advisory assignments from the FAO that took me to Bangkok many times until 2018. During those visits, I talked with him over the phone whenever he was accessible. I understood later that after the loss of his wife, he was less accessible directly. Yet I learned about his welfare from some officials and teachers, who were his former students and attended workshops and meetings in connection with my consultancy work. I lost contact with him in more recent years.

I pray for his departed soul.

Tribute from Bill Thorpe, retired former ILRI research director, UK

I have many happy memories of Charan, including his co-organizing a smallholder dairy session at the AAAP-ASAP [Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production–Australian Society of Animal Production] Conference in Sydney, Australia, in 1998.

The interactions there, and the on-the-spot support from Maggie Gill, led to ACIAR [Australian Center for International Agricultural Research) co-funding the South–South National Dairy Development Board / ILRI / ACIAR Smallholder Dairy Workshop: Smallholder Dairy Production and Marketing—Opportunities and Constraints, held in Anand, India, in March 2001, and the volume of proceedings that it generated.

Tribute from Jimmy Smith, director of international programs at the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, USA, and former ILRI director general, USA

Sad news indeed.

Charan was an ILRI board member and very instrumental in helping the transition from ILCA (the International Livestock Centre for Africa), an Africa-only centre, to ILRI with a global mandate, and in particular expanding ILRI into Asia. He was also a personal friend of mine who introduced me to Lindsay Falvey, who was active at his university and chaired the last ILRI External Program and Management Review, in 2008.

Charan was above all a wonderful human being.

Tribute from Danilo Pezo, lecturer/researcher at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and Spanish co-editor of the journal Tropical Grasslands–Forrajes Tropicales, Costa Rica

Prof Charan Chantalakhana was a well respected leader in the Southeast Asian livestock sector because of his contributions to science and education. He always stressed the importance of using science to improve the livelihoods of rural people who keep animals in their households and farms.

I had the privilege to work with him as an ILRI staff member of the Crop-Animal Systems Research Network (CASREN), where I enjoyed his friendship, wise advise, great sense of humour and, more importantly, his commitment to grow ILRI´s presence and work in Southeast Asia.

We—his friends, colleagues, students and smallholder farmers—are saddened by his departure, but we will keep him in our memories forever.

Animal welfare in lower- to middle-income countries, with Peter Singer

2023-06-08

Is there a conflict between supporting animal welfare, and supporting the wellbeing of the world's poor? Can we talk about animal welfare in the same way in the global North and South? Or are there important moral distinctions to be made?

To explore these questions we're joined by Peter Singer, an Australian philosopher and bioethicist, Rebecca Doyle, who leads ILRI’s efforts on animal welfare, and Michel Dione, a senior scientist in Animal Health at ILRI.

Further reading:

Peter Singer:

One of the world’s most controversial philosophers explains himself - Vox

Peter Singer's website

Rebecca Doyle:

ILRI profile

Rebecca Doyle's website

Michel Dione:

ILRI profile

ILRI and animal welfare:

One Health Brief no. 5 - Keeping livestock healthy and well cared for improves animal, human, environment and economic health

Why animal welfare is a One Health issue

ILRI marks World Food Safety Day 2023 with the launch of a report on improving food safety in informal markets

2023-06-06

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7 June every year to raise awareness on food safety and inspire action to help prevent and manage foodborne risks thereby contributing to human health, food and nutrition security, economic prosperity, market access, and sustainable development. The theme this year is Food standards save lives.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is commemorating World Food Safety Day 2023 with the launch of a new ILRI-commissioned report, New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries, by Spencer Henson, Steven Jaffee and Shuo Wang.

The report will be launched at a webinar on Wednesday 7 June 2023 at 0900 hours EDT / 1300 hours GMT /1600 hours EAT.

Despite ongoing structural changes, the food systems of most low- and lower middle-income countries are still dominated by small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors and food service operators. Unsafe food is a widespread issue in these informal food systems, with national public health implications.

Few countries have coherent strategies to effectively tackle food safety risks in the informal sector. Most of the policy attention and resources now devoted to domestic food safety in the developing world focus on strengthening centralized systems for ‘food control’.

The authors of the report argue that a different approach is needed to better tackle food safety risks in the informal sector. This would entail local action that is centrally guided, multisectoral action, rebalancing the use of sticks and carrots, and differentiating local strategies and priorities.

We have also created a landing page on the ILRI website to showcase our food safety projects, publications, stories and key messages. The page also highlights the profiles of ILRI scientists involved in food safety research.

The production of the report, New directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries, was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) and the CGIAR Initiative on One Health. We thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.

Join the online conversations by following the hashtags #FoodSafety, #SafeFood and #WorldFoodSafetyDay.

Photo credit: Local food market in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ILRI/Geraldine Klarenberg)

Letter from the director general

2023-06-06

Dear readers

This month I am delighted to focus on an important aspect of our food system: food safety—an area where ILRI has led the way for close to three decades. At ILRI, we generally say, ‘there is no food without safe food’. Food safety has been at the core of ILRI’s work for the last three decades. For this year’s World Food Safety Day, ‘Food standards save lives,’ we focus our efforts on the critical role that informal markets play within the food system in most low- and middle-income countries.

Traditional markets, often open-air, consist of unregulated small businesses with basic infrastructure. These markets provide many people with an income and are where most people, especially the poor, buy their food. These markets are critical to the poor but also have many challenges.

On 7 June, ILRI is organizing a webinar on food safety in the informal sector of low- and middle-income countries, coinciding with the release of a major new commissioned report highlighting the need for innovative strategies to address food safety risks in the informal sector. The report emphasizes that to be more effective in addressing unsafe food in informal markets, a shift in mindsets is needed, and a very different, multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional, and spatially focused approach which deals with the complex capacity- and incentive-related constraints associated with informal markets.

On other aspects of our operations, I led ILRI in some key internal and external engagements.

I hosted and participated in the 62^nd meeting of the ILRI board of trustees, which was my first at the helm of the organization. It was a great opportunity and a pleasure to work closely and to interact positively with ILRI and CGIAR board members. Beyond excellent internal discussions, the week’s highlights included the interactive share fair, which brought together all CGIAR activities in Ethiopia. A highlight of the week was the handover ceremony of the Ethiopia Poultry Strategy from ILRI to the government of Ethiopia.

From our strategic consultation and discussion with the board, we received important comments and more importantly, the green light to start the development of our new strategy. The development of this new strategy is indeed a very important moment for ILRI, the CGIAR and our national, regional and global partners. This will be an inclusive process, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders on this. More information will be shared on the ILRI website.

Our participation to the AIM4Climate Summit, joining other CGIAR colleagues and many partners, was an opportunity to showcase the critical role of livestock in our efforts in addressing climate change-related challenges. I attended the ‘Livestock Mega Sprint’ which brought together three sprints: Dairy Nourishes Africa, Pathways to Dairy Net Zero, and the sprint led by the CGIAR initiative on Livestock and Climate on Livestock, Climate and System Resilience (LCSR). We highlighted the potential of livestock to be a climate adaptation as well as a mitigation solution, and the need to see the diversity of livestock systems. An opinion piece I authored was also published on Devex at this time.

Finally, during its 90^th general assembly the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) signed an MoU with ILRI, building on ongoing collaborations to establish a long strategic partnership. The MoU also reinforces our joint commitment to transformative research in the animal health sector. We look forward to working with WOAH.

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): A strategic partnership to safeguard global animal health

2023-06-02

Maison de la Chime, Paris, France, 25 May 2023 – The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the 90th General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates for the welfare and health of animals where this strategic partnership marks a new era of collaboration to protect animal health and promote sustainable livestock production systems across the globe.

Animal health continues to play a critical role in ensuring the well-being of both animals and the livelihoods of people. Diseases that affect livestock can have devastating consequences, leading to economic losses, food security issues, and even potential zoonotic disease outbreaks. Recognizing the shared responsibility to protect animal health, WOAH and ILRI have committed to working hand in hand to tackle emerging challenges and enhance global animal health resilience through a One Health approach.

The MoU between WOAH and ILRI establishes a collaborative framework to address critical animal health issues through joint research projects, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. The partnership will enable the organizations to pool their expertise, resources, and networks to develop innovative solutions that promote animal welfare, enhance disease surveillance, and strengthen veterinary services across regions.

“Around one in five people are involved in livestock production or the processing and marketing of food of animal origin. Protecting animal health is key to sustaining their livelihoods and enhancing food security, in a context where the global demand for animal protein remains a challenge for the poorest populations”, highlights Monique Eloit, WOAH director general.

The areas of mutual interest include addressing zoonotic disease, building capacity through training programs and knowledge exchange initiatives, collaborative research projects to tackle emerging challenges and policy advocacy to advocate for evidence-based policies and regulations to promote animal health and equitable access to veterinary services.

ILRI’s director general Appolinaire Djikeng shares, ‘ILRI and WOAH have had a long-standing relationship and this memorandum of understanding solidifies the commitments to improving animal health globally which contributes towards improving food and nutrition security and the livelihoods of people.’

This collaboration sets a strong foundation for addressing current and future challenges, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in securing the well-being of animals and humans alike.

Read more on the agreement between WOAH and ILRI

Photo caption: ILRI Director General, Appolinaire Djikeng and WOAH Director General Monique Eloit signing the MOU between the two institutes on Thursday 25th May 2023 at the Maison de la Chime, Paris, France during the 90th General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates for the welfare and health of animals. Photo credit: (Gabriel Reyes/WOAH)