https://www.ilri.org/ en Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:40:06 +0300 Mon, 22 Jun 26 15:00:00 +0300 https://www.ilri.org/news/climate-changes-camels-offer-stability-horn-africa <p>At the peak of the 2023 drought in the Horn of Africa, Shindia, a female camel owner from Maikona in Marsabit County, Kenya, embarked on a trek with her 108 camels from the heart of Chalbi Desert to the livestock Market in Wajir, a journey of around 480 kilometers. Along the way, disease, lack of feed and water shortages took a heavy toll. Only 40 camels reached the market, some in poor condition resulting in low prices. </p> <p>Yet even in the face of such adversity, when Shindia and other pastoralists in this region gather around wells to exchange news and information, camels remain the ultimate asset in their discussions. As the climate becomes less predictable, camels provide these herders a measure of stability in income, food security and trade.</p> <p>Each year, the world celebrates World Camel Day on 22 June. This occasion is especially significant in the Horn of Africa, where camel populations are increasing as more livestock keepers diversify into camel keeping as a drought-coping mechanism.</p> <blockquote><p>“Camels are vital because they provide a continuous supply of milk, even during dry spells. They bolster pastoralist livelihoods and local economies and help herders bounce back more quickly after drought and other shocks,” says Tumal Orto, president of the Pastoralists Association for the Frontier Counties Development Council, Kenya.</p> </blockquote> <p></p> <img alt="Camels at a watering hole in Marsabit, Kenya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="475bfa57-5348-4339-9d05-c129fdddc5f3" height="3168" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/Camel%20keeper%20with%20his%20livestock%20at%20a%20watering%20hole%20in%20Marsabit_kenya_Photo%20Credit%20Polycarp%20Otieno%20%281%29_0.JPG" width="4224"> Camel keeper with his livestock at a watering hole in Marsabit County, Kenya. Photo Credit: ILRI / Polycarp Otieno <p>Growing opportunities, enduring constraints</p> <p>Across the Horn of Africa, camels are mostly reared in extensive rangelands spanning arid and semi-arid zones. At the same time, peri-urban camel keeping is expanding in towns like Isiolo and Kismayu, where there is easier access to markets. While camels are well adapted to harsh environments, major knowledge gaps remain around their health, genetics and productivity. Between 2005 and 2025, there were at least 10 documented outbreaks of “undiagnosed” or “mysterious” diseases across Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, posing risks to animal health, public health and regional trade. Moreover, in Kenya, it is estimated that <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8923781/">camel milk producers lose up to 50% of their milk</a> due to poor hygiene, limited storage facilities, and inadequate transport infrastructure. Reducing these losses could significantly increase incomes across the value chain while improving product quality and consumer safety.</p> <p></p> <p>Tapping into the global market</p> <p>Globally, the camel milk market was valued at <a href="https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/camel-milk-market">USD 323 billion in 2023</a>, while the camel <a href="https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/camel-meat-market">meat market was valued at USD 1.82 billion</a> in 2025. These figures underscore the economic importance of camel products and the opportunities they present to strengthen value chains, create jobs, and improve incomes for pastoral communities. The Horn of Africa is home to one of the world's largest camel populations, with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development region (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda) hosting <a href="https://icpald.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IGAD-Strategy-for-Sustainable-and-Resilient-Livestock-Development.pdf">19.1 million</a> out of a global estimate of 41.8 million camels. The region also leads camel exports to Gulf countries. In 2024, Sudan and Somalia were the largest live camel exporters to the Middle East, with estimated export values of USD 107 and USD 80 million, respectively.  With a large camel population, growing demand, and expanding trade opportunities, the question is no longer whether camels matter economically, but how the Horn of Africa can position itself to benefit from this emerging economy. There is a major opportunity for governments, businesses, and pastoralist communities to transform camel production from a drought-coping strategy into a key driver of economic growth and regional trade.</p> <p>Research with pastoralists in northern Kenya shows that the camel economy is sustained by the “invisible infrastructure” built around social, economic, and ecological systems that pastoralists have developed over generations. Mobile telecommunications and digital financial services have strengthened these networks by facilitating communication, coordination, and money transfers across vast distances. Motorcycle transport has improved the movement of milk and other products from remote areas to urban markets. Women traders, milk cooperatives, money transfer agents, and young milk transporters play essential roles in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2024.2512641">vibrant camel milk market</a>, connecting pastoral production systems to consumers.  These highly interconnected systems remain largely absent from many camel-related strategies and economic plans, despite being as important to resilience as the animals themselves.</p> <p>Building momentum in research and innovation</p> <p>Several initiatives are helping strengthen the camel sector across the region. These include the <a href="https://igad.int/camel-resources-management-regional-strategy-for-igad-region-validated-by-stakeholders/">Camel Resources Management Strategy</a> for the IGAD region 2023–2032 and Kenya's 2024 presidential directive establishing the <a href="https://dlci-hoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PLS-Resolutions-1.pdf">Camel Centre of Excellence</a> (CCE). The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and its partners are contributing to this momentum through research into disease surveillance, diagnostics, genomics, breeding, value chain development, and socioeconomic research. ILRI is generating evidence on camel-based livelihoods, youth employment opportunities and market systems, and is hosting the secretariat of the government-led CCE task force that includes representatives from the government, Mercy Corps, the Kenya Camel Association, and the private sector. The task force presented the urgency of its mission at the <a href="https://events.globallandscapesforum.org/africa-2026/">Global Landscape Forum in Nairobi</a> in May 2026. Regional research institutions and governments are increasingly investing in camel science. For example, the Somali National University has established a camel research center, and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is implementing a community-based camel breeding program. </p> <p>However, sustainable camel development cannot be driven by research institutions alone. It depends equally on <a href="https://jameelobservatory.org/photovoice-project/">everyday social network</a>s that sustain pastoral production; from water wells and rangeland grazing areas to markets and mobility corridors. </p> <p>Investing in women and the youth</p> <p>Alongside investments in research, greater attention must be paid to the people and institutions that sustain production, especially women and young people. Women are central actors in milk marketing and household nutrition, while young people increasingly participate in transport, aggregation, trade, and digital services linked to camel value chains. Through the <a href="https://www.cgiar.org/cgiar-research-portfolio-2025-2030/food-frontiers-and-security">CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security</a>, ILRI is assessing how young people participate in and benefit from camel value chains across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The study seeks to identify opportunities for youth-led enterprises and contribute to the ongoing regional priorities to scale camel value chain innovations and improve food and nutritional security in drylands.  As we celebrate <a href="https://camel4all.info/index.php/category/world-camel-day-22-june/">World Camel Day 2026</a> under the theme “Camels as a climate resilient dairy animal” and the <a href="https://iyrp.info/">International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists</a>, the lessons from Shindia's journey remain relevant. Her experience reminds us that the future of the camel economy depends not only on healthier animals, better genetics, and stronger markets, but also on the people, institutions, and landscapes that sustain pastoral livelihoods.</p> <p>Camel-based development must therefore go hand in hand with investments in critical infrastructure, access to rangelands, market systems, financial services, and locally grounded institutions. If these foundations are strengthened, camels can become more than a symbol of resilience in the Horn of Africa. They can become a cornerstone of inclusive economic growth, food security, and climate adaptation for millions of people across the region.</p> <p>Related content</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2024.2512641">The moral economy behind the commoditization of camel milk in northern Kenya</a></p> <p></p> Polycarp Onyango 9815753c-db9a-4ffe-b181-fa3c6e5d4af3 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/innovation-places-communities-heart-restoring-rangelands-east-africa <p>Across Africa, communities living in arid landscapes are facing complex challenges—degraded soils, changing climate patterns, and shifting social structures. An innovation called participatory rangelands management (PRM) builds the capacities of communities—including youth and women—to collectively plan for and govern rangelands, while balancing environmental sustainability, livestock production, and social inclusion.</p> <p>“Healthy rangelands thrive when communities lead the way,” said Jacob Lekaitogo, the president of the African Youth Pastoralist Initiative (Kenya Chapter), an ILRI-supported group that<a href="https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/supporting-africas-pastoralist-youth-to-mobilize-and-engage-in-policy-dialogues-the-africa-youth-pastoralist-initiative" target="_blank"> aims to give young pastoralists a voice in policy dialogues. </a>“Participatory rangelands management puts communities at the center of restoring landscapes, strengthening livelihoods and securing the future of pastoralism.”  </p> <p>Today, PRM is being implemented across more than <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173807" target="_blank">two million hectares of East Africa</a>. New development partners are investing, countries like Mali and Senegal are considering adopting the practice, and a bloc of countries in East Africa are committed to prioritizing and applying the practice as a regional approach.  </p> <h3>Community-led restoration delivers results for rangelands</h3> <p>The PRM innovation is rooted in tenets of customary institutions, and was <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99430" target="_blank">developed by ILRI</a> in collaboration with CGIAR partners and others, including Save the Children and regional policymakers. Together, they first tested the approach in Ethiopia, later <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106017" target="_blank">scaling it across more than one million hectares</a>.  They then piloted it in Kenya and Tanzania with <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118128" target="_blank">promising results.  </a></p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70280819-228f-4fd7-9c22-c5d8255e2523" height="405" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/Livestock-at-a-watering.png" width="540"> Livestock at a watering point in Wajir, Kenya. (Photo credit: ILRI/Laura Cramer) <p>During PRM, communities took part in bush clearing, seeding pastures, improvement of grasses, tree planting, water conservation measures, and demarcation of crop and rangelands. More than 90% of <a href="//hdl.handle.net/10568/118128" target="_blank">those who participated in the PRM pilots</a> said that the condition of their rangelands improved and they felt greater ownership over them, while more than half said the condition and numbers of their livestock improved after they adopted better breeds of cows.  </p> <p>PRM has also served as a vehicle for women’s empowerment, with increased numbers of women participating <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132571" target="_blank">in community decision-making processes in Ethiopia.</a> In Kiteto, Tanzania, the community established a women’s forum, jukwa la akina mama, which meets regularly to discuss rangeland resources.  </p> <p>Some counties in Kenya, including <a href="https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/participatory-rangeland-management-included-in-baringo-countys-integrated-development-plan-an-important-achievement-for-scaling-readiness/" target="_blank">Baringo county</a>, have integrated the practice in their development plans after pilot projects <a href="https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/118128" target="_blank">yielded positive outcomes there</a>.  </p> <h3>East African countries set to scale participatory approach</h3> <p>Due to the initiative’s success, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is working with ILRI on developing <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/145167" target="_blank">a set of PRM manuals</a>, with the intention to scale the practice across the Horn of Africa.  </p> <p>Ministers from seven IGAD member states—Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda—have committed to prioritize and apply PRM as a regional approach for the governance and stewardship of communal and cross-border rangelands, marking a major milestone for sustainable pastoral development in the region.  </p> <p>The commitment was made during <a href="https://igad.int/igad-ministerial-conference-on-transhumance-and-livestock-development/" target="_blank">the IGAD Ministerial Conference on Transhumance and Livestock Development</a> held on 21 November 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the ministers responsible for agriculture, livestock, and arid-lands development from the IGAD member states.  </p> <p>The ministers adopted a <a href="https://igad.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Communique-IGAD-Ministerial-Conference-on-Transhumance-and-Livestock-Development-21.11.2025-1.pdf" target="_blank">regional communiqué</a> outlining collective actions to strengthen pastoral systems, livestock mobility, and climate resilience. Additionally, the agreement serves to implement the <a href="https://igad.int/igad-ministerial-conference-on-transhumance-and-livestock-development/" target="_blank">IGAD Protocol on Transhumance</a>, a landmark legal framework designed to facilitate the free, safe, and orderly cross-border movement of pastoralists and their livestock across the region.  </p> <p>The signatories recognized the critical role of pastoralism and livestock production in supporting livelihoods and economies, while expressing concern over the growing pressures facing pastoral communities—including recurrent droughts, land degradation, water scarcity, political insecurity, transboundary animal diseases, and climate variability.</p> <blockquote><p>“Better-managed rangelands can contribute to a triple-win, by supporting climate change adaptation, mitigation, and improved livelihoods for pastoral communities,” said Dereje Wakjira, director of the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development.</p> </blockquote> <h3>Innovation responds to climate challenges and community needs</h3> <p>The IGAD region is one of Africa’s most significant livestock zones. It is home to <a href="https://icpald.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IGAD-Strategy-for-Sustainable-and-Resilient-Livestock-Development.pdf" target="_blank">43%</a> of the continent’s cattle (160 million), 34% of its sheep and goats (308 million), and nearly half of the world’s camels (19 million)—a total of nearly half a billion animals. Pastoralism has great social and economic importance to communities in the IGAD region and contributes between 16% and 60% of the GDP of these nations.  </p> <p>Yet, despite this importance, investment in community-driven development is lacking, said Fiona Flintan, ILRI senior scientist and rangelands governance specialist. Development investments still tend to be top-down and “band aid” in nature, she added, rather than tackling the challenges of tenure insecurity and lack of livestock extension services, or supporting pastoralists to address land degradation challenges such as invasive species. </p> <img class="img-fluid rounded" src='https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/styles/paragraph_full_width_image/public/full_width_image/2026/Livestock-at-a-watering-point-in-Wajir-Kenya.png?itok=v82JyrjO' alt="" title="" /> Photo credit: ILRI/Laura Cramer Livestock at a watering point in Wajir, Kenya. <p>“Pastoralists are expert risk managers and with the right assistance have the capacity to lead their own development and solve their own problems. PRM helps communities think through their challenges and develop rangeland management plans to address them—plans that are their responsibility to then implement.”  - Fiona Flintan, ILRI senior scientist.</p> <p>Scaling PRM is therefore an urgent need for governments in the region, she said. “PRM  helps to strengthen access to and use of land resources for all community members, and improves climate resilience through healthier rangeland management.”  </p> <p>The innovation also contributes to improving peace and security, said Ken Otieno, executive director of the NGO <a href="https://www.reconcile-ea.org/" target="_blank">RECONCILE</a>, which works with ILRI to implement PRM.  </p> <p>“PRM has <a href="https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/participatory-rangeland-management-a-business-case-for-africa" target="_blank">significantly reduced conflicts</a> between crop farmers and pastoralists in Kenya,” Otieno added.  </p> <blockquote><p>“The practice has been successful because the rangelands management plans are agreed upon by all stakeholders, women are represented, and the plans have had legal backing.”  </p> </blockquote> Daniel Hailemichael 2fde128f-0313-4e1f-b71b-088ba891590a Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/designing-impact-how-nigerias-livestock-master-plan-forges-coalitions-and-boosts-coordination <p>In Nigeria, conversations about livestock often return to the same question. How can a sector with so much potential deliver more consistent value for farmers, businesses, and the wider economy?</p> <p>With support from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and local and international partners, the Nigerian Government is working to answer that question by devising a national livestock master plan. The plan addresses a long-standing problem in the sector by encouraging better coordinated action across policy, investment, and implementation.</p> <p>When work to develop the plan began in 2023, it did not start with a document. It started as a process. From the beginning, there was a clear intention to involve the right people early, to generate outputs that would anchor future decisions in strong evidence, and to ensure that the final outputs could be used in real policy and investment settings.</p> <p>At the core of the plan is a comprehensive modelling framework that reflects important inter-relationships between animal herd dynamics, production systems, markets, animal health, and use of land, water, and feeds. What makes the plan well thought out and relevant is how the underlying data is gathered and the evidence is analyzed, said Dolapo Enahoro, a senior ILRI scientist leading the work on the plan.</p> <p>Rather than relying on static and largely incomplete information, the process of developing the master plan involves collating livestock data from multiple secondary and primary sources and repeatedly validating the resulting databases with experts across government, academia, and the private sector. Assumptions of the integrated modelling framework are similarly tested, challenged, and refined to ensure that they reflect on-the-ground conditions.  </p> <p>The outcome for the government is a set of evidence-based pathways that show where investment will have the greatest impact across different livestock value chains and production systems.</p> <img class="img-fluid rounded" src='https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/styles/paragraph_full_width_image/public/full_width_image/2026/Baseline%20workshop%20group%20work_nigeria_final_web_0.jpg?itok=cg017FYD' alt="" title="" /> ILRI/Folusho Onifade Livestock experts during an N-LMP workshop session in Nigeria. <p>“The credibility of the plan hinges on the rigor of the analysis."—and when stakeholders and decision makers contribute to and recognize that rigor, it gives them confidence to act on the results, said Dolapo Enahoro, senior ILRI scientist.</p> <h3>Building a coalition for change  </h3> <p>Recognizing that no single institution can single-handedly transform Nigeria’s livestock sector, the development phase of the plan brought together actors from across the system.  </p> <p>This is no one-off consultation. </p> <blockquote><p>“We spend considerable time scoping out the relevant stakeholders both for developing the plan and for its eventual implementation, and we engage them from the beginning and throughout the process,” Enahoro said.</p> </blockquote> <p>Technical experts from across the country worked together, alongside international partners, to review and validate baseline data drawn from multiple sources, generating new evidence through the process. During workshop sessions, government officials, researchers, and industry actors applied their knowledge and vast experiences to the processes of testing assumptions, checking data gaps, and refining the collective understanding of Nigeria’s livestock systems.  </p> <p>Participants also mapped key value chains, identified priority areas for investment, and examined how different actors and processes interact and shape outcomes within the sector.  </p> <p>Private and public stakeholders played an important role in grounding the analysis in practical realities, helping ensure that the findings reflect how the sector operates and can support ongoing and future decision-making.</p> <p>By 2025, many critical stakeholders at both national and subnational levels were already familiar with the strategic direction, objectives, and early recommendations of the plan, in some cases having directly contributed to these.</p> <blockquote><p>“This process has reduced resistance and built broader ownership of the plan across a wide coalition of stakeholders,” said Oladeji Bamidele, lead national consultant working on the livestock master plan, during a presentation at the first National Council on Livestock Development.</p> </blockquote> <p>This growing coalition has been central to early uptake. The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development is now integrating the plan into its broader strategy. State governments are beginning to request support for localized implementation.</p> <p>Nigeria’s approach has also been shaped by lessons from other countries.</p> <p>Through peer-to-peer exchanges, government officials and technical teams in Nigeria have drawn on experiences from Ethiopia and Tanzania, where livestock master plans have been informing policy and investment decisions since the 2010s. Study visits and knowledge-sharing platforms have enabled direct learning on what works, what does not, and how to adapt strategies to different contexts.</p> <p>Shared experience can strengthen national planning processes, Enahoro said. </p> <blockquote><p>“The focus is to bring together decision makers from different countries to learn from each other.”  </p> </blockquote> <h3>Moving from momentum to implementation  </h3> <p>Nigeria’s livestock sector will not change overnight. It is large, diverse, and closely tied to wider economic and social realities. There are, however, early signs that a more coordinated approach is taking shape.  </p> <p>In early 2025, technical experts reviewed and vetted the final results of a sector-wide analysis, ensuring that the evidence base was both comprehensive and widely accepted. This was followed by high-level engagements with national leadership, aligning the plan with broader reform agendas.</p> <p>State-level workshops in Adamawa and Oyo ensured that the plan reflected local realities and priorities. A study tour to Tanzania provided practical insights into implementation. Technical discussions with ministry officials helped integrate insights from the plan into Nigeria’s 10-year livestock growth strategy.</p> <p>By mid-year, the draft plan was already shaping national decision-making. Its data and analytical outputs were used to support strategy development, guide investment discussions, and inform institutional planning.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8cf35538-e0e5-46a8-bc68-bd5e8e6599c2" height="368" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/Nigerian-herder-milking-his-cow-2.png" width="450"> Nigerian herder milking a cow. (Photo credit: ILRI/ Folusho Onifade) <p>In September, the validated Livestock Sector Analysis and Strategy were formally handed over to the Nigerian government, marking a shift from the development to implementation phase. The inauguration of the National Council on Livestock Development later in the year further strengthened coordination across federal and state levels.</p> <p>The baseline data and analysis have been accepted by technical stakeholders and are now feeding into the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy. During a high-level stakeholder engagement convened by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in early 2026, the plan was extensively discussed, informing investment planning, feed development, and animal health.</p> <p>There are already signs of how these efforts are taking hold. The livestock strategy informed by the master plan has been shared with commissioners in states participating in the ILRI-led Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (LPRES) project, which also spearheads the work on the development of the livestock master plan.  </p> <p>In addition, elements of the national plan are beginning to appear in state-level work plans developed by government-supported livestock projects. This is an important step in moving from planning to coordinated action across the country.</p> <blockquote><p>As Sanusi Abubakar, national project coordinator of LPRES, noted, “The five-year livestock strategy has already been socialized with some state commissioners, and they have incorporated it into their work plans across 20 states. With support from the ministry, we are hopeful this will extend to all of Nigeria’s 36 states.” </p> </blockquote> Daniel Hailemichael eded9919-ad82-4aed-8b62-4ea1f20160f7 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/analysis-action-livestock-research-helps-madagascar-transform-its-livestock-sector <p>In Madagascar, though livestock farming provides a livelihood for millions of people, it receives minimal public investment. To better align this mismatch, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and its partners have worked with the Malagasy government to develop the missing tools: rigorous analysis, costed roadmaps, and an investment plan worth nearly USD 400 million to bring about sustainable transformation in five priority sectors.  </p> <p>In December 2025, Madagascar's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock gathered stakeholders from across the country to officially launch the Madagascar Livestock Master Plan. The moment marked the culmination of nearly two years of intensive research, field surveys, modelling, and national consultation. But for those who had worked on it, the launch was less an ending than a beginning.</p> <blockquote><p>"We are today committing to the modernization of a sector with enormous economic potential," said then-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock José Nirina Rasatarimanana at the presentation workshop. "Madagascar will not sustainably transform its agriculture without profoundly transforming its livestock sector."</p> </blockquote> <p>That transformation has long been overdue.</p> <h3>A sector carrying enormous weight and carrying it alone</h3> <p>Livestock underpins the livelihoods of more than 70% of rural households in Madagascar. Yet for the decade between 2013 and 2022, the sector received less than 1% of public agricultural spending. And even that limited funding was often not fully spent.</p> <p>Behind each of these numbers is a story of missed potential. A dairy cow in a traditional system in Madagascar produces, on average, just one to two liters of milk per day, a fraction of what improved breeds under better management could yield, leaving both farmers and consumers underserved.  </p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2847da31-ea43-4291-8a1d-3985f50bbf75" height="373" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/Narindra%20Rakotoarijaona%2C%20Director%20General%20of%20Agriculture%20and%20Livestock.jpg" width="560"> Narindra Rakotoarijaona, Director General of Agriculture and Livestock, highlighted the importance of the plan in guiding the transformation of the livestock sector over the next 15 years and defining expected development outcomes for the period. (photo credit: ILRI/ Lamine Diedhiou) <p>Of Madagascar's 38 million chickens, nearly three-quarters are raised in traditional systems with almost no veterinary support: the result is that one in five birds die before reaching market, representing a significant and largely avoidable loss of income for rural households.  </p> <p>The national cattle herd of around nine million animals is growing at less than 1% per year, far below the 2.8% annual growth of the human population. The gap is widening: more people, but not proportionally more animals, means less meat and milk per person over time, with direct consequences for nutrition, household income, and food security for millions of rural families.</p> <p>These are not simply technical problems, said ILRI livestock economist Isabelle Baltenweck, one of the architects of the plan. They are the result of decades of underinvestment in a sector that rural communities have been carrying largely on their own.  </p> <blockquote><p>“It’s past time we did something about that,” she said.</p> </blockquote> <h3>What ILRI brought to the table</h3> <p>Between 2023 and 2025, ILRI scientists worked alongside Malagasy government officials, national research institutes, and international partners—including Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD)—to co-create a livestock master plan. The work was supported by the World Bank’s Food Systems Resilience Program.  </p> <p>The team analyzed existing data and carried out field surveys across the country, from the humid highlands of Vakinankaratra to the arid southern regions, to build up a detailed picture of how livestock systems work: zone by zone, household by household. Combining those field surveys with economic modeling enabled the researchers to simulate the impact of different investment choices across five priority value chains over the next 15 years.</p> <p>Strengthening the capacity of Malagasy officials and research teams was at the heart of the process, said Abdrahmane Wane, ILRI’s regional director for West and Central Africa, at the plan’s official launch in December 2025.  </p> <blockquote><p>“These priority value chains can become genuine drivers of growth, provided they receive targeted and coherent interventions,” he said.</p> </blockquote> <p>Rather than delivering external recommendations, the ILRI team co-created plans and priorities with a national technical committee comprising central and regional ministry directorates, research institutions, and field-level practitioners. The resulting roadmaps were tested through stakeholder workshops and validated by the very people responsible for implementing them, a deliberate choice to ensure ownership from the start.</p> <p>For Narindra Rakotoarijaona, Madagascar’s director general of agriculture and livestock, the plan fills a gap that has long held the sector back.</p> <blockquote><p>“It enables us to determine the direction the livestock sector will take over the next 15 years, and the results expected over that period,” he said.</p> </blockquote> <h3>What the evidence shows is possible</h3> <p>One of the plan's key messages is to improve productivity per animal, rather than simply growing herd sizes. The five-year investment roadmaps, covering cattle, dairy, small ruminants, poultry, and pigs, represent a total investment of approximately USD 400 million, a mix of 72% public, 28% private finance.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32cc8cb4-05f6-4b28-bfd5-f06ea8ff45ce" height="333" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/madagascar_2.jpg" width="500"> In April 2024, technical teams working on Madagascar’s Livestock Master Plan strengthened their capacities on analytical tools such as LSIPT, supporting evidence-based planning with ILRI and partners. (photo credit: ILRI/ Lamine Diedhiou) <p>In the poultry sector, researchers estimate that coordinated interventions in vaccination, biosecurity, feed systems, and genetic improvement could cut mortality by nearly half, from 20% to around 10%, while nearly doubling national production.</p> <p>For pigs, improved health management and feeding could reduce mortality by half and cut time-to-market by a quarter while almost doubling production. Improving dairy systems, meanwhile, should boost productivity per cow by 35%, with national milk production projected to rise from 347 to 474 million liters. And for small ruminants like goats, the safety net of Madagascar's most vulnerable households, it is predicted the inventions could double revenues.</p> <p>ILRI Director General Appollinaire Djikeng welcomed the way Malagasy stakeholders and public authorities had taken ownership of the plan, calling it “a strategic and cross-cutting lever” for the country’s agricultural transformation.</p> <h3>The work that comes next</h3> <blockquote><p>“A master plan is only as valuable as its implementation. And that is where the attention of all partners now needs to focus,” said Wane when the plan was launched late last year.  </p> </blockquote> <p>For government and development partners, the priority is translating commitments into budget lines, and budget lines into results that reach farmers, veterinary agents, and rural communities.</p> <p>The same rigor that shaped the plan is needed to monitor its rollout, adapt interventions as evidence accumulates, and continue strengthening the national institutions that will be responsible for implementation for the next 15 years, he added.  </p> <blockquote><p>And for ILRI, the analytical role does not end with the launch. “It’s a long game, but we’re committed to staying with this, not just through the analysis, but for the follow-through.” </p> </blockquote> Daniel Hailemichael e50bbbcf-db44-42f1-9b4d-fbdf70981dba Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/tanzanias-rangeland-society-pushes-science-driven-action-protect-shrinking-pastures <h2 class="title">Tanzania’s rangeland society pushes for science-driven action to protect shrinking pastures</h2> <p>According to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2024/06/26/tanzania-economic-update-harnessing-the-opportunity-for-a-climate-smart-and-competitive-livestock-sector-in-afe-tanzania">Tanzania’s cattle herd has grown from 9 to 40 million</a> in just six decades yet the rangelands sustaining them have remained the same size. <a href="https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/tan223748.pdf">Measuring roughly 947,000 square kilometers, rangelands supply close to 90%</a> of the country’s livestock feed.</p> <p>At the same time, climate change, invasive plant species, and intensifying competition for land erode are steadily reducing the productivity of grazing areas. The pressure is already affecting livestock production systems, pastoral livelihoods, and access to grazing and water resources in many parts of the country. For example, in the <a href="https://www.tabledebates.org/essay/essay-milk-and-meat-production-drylands-tanzania-amidst-climate-change">droughts of 2021–2022</a> over 92,000 livestock (mainly cattle, sheep, and goats) died due to a lack of water and pasture in Simanjiro, a semi-arid pastoral district in northern Tanzania. Frequent droughts are affecting livestock production, and hence food security and livelihoods.</p> <p>Without a strong base of applied research to guide how these lands are managed, governed, and restored, much needed improvements in productivity, trade, and livelihoods will remain out of reach. If rangelands are well-managed, biomass production will increase, which in turn will reduce animal feed insecurity.</p> <p>This imperative was the basis of a workshop hosted by the Rangeland Society of Tanzania (RST) in Morogoro on 29–30 April 2026. Scientists, policymakers, development and pastoralists to discuss how research and evidence can better support sustainable rangeland management, strengthen livestock production, and guide implementation of Tanzania’s livestock development priorities.</p> <p>With a membership of approximately 230 individuals, RST works with government institutions, research organizations, development partners, and pastoralists to promote sustainable rangeland management and strengthen livestock production systems. Workshop participants included representatives from the International Livestock Research Institute, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Ngorongoro Conservation Authority, non-government organizations and the private sector.</p> <p>Livestock and fisheries minister Bashiru Ally emphasized the urgency of modernizing the sector to unlock greater trade opportunities locally and internationally. He identified six priority areas: strengthening leadership and management, improving animal nutrition, strengthening animal health services, increasing the impact of development projects, adopting of modern technologies and infrastructure, and attracting investment.</p> <p>“My aspiration is to see this society become a guiding light, especially in the implementation of the 2025–2050 development strategy. We must strengthen discipline and accountability to improve the livestock sector, including improving livelihoods,” said Ally.</p> <h5>Land governance challenges</h5> <p>Research presentations on the second day focused on the major pressures affecting Tanzania’s rangelands, including land tenure insecurity and declining pasture quality. ILRI’s Rangeland Ecologist, Birikaa Olesikilal shared findings from the organization’s work on joint land use planning as a mechanism to secure land rights and resolve resource-based conflicts. He described how increasing pressure from expansion of cropping and increased human and livestock populations contributed to encroachment on grazing land in many areas.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fdc48b5b-6d60-4008-94a5-000f9eb89f59" height="320" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/03%20%281%29_1.jpg" width="509"> Birikaa Olesikilal contributing to a dialogue during the rangeland conference in Morogoro. Photo by ILRI/Hadi Rashid <p>“Our experience shows that village land use planning must be participatory and inclusive. For it to be effective, it is important to select villages that share common interests and demonstrate commitment to jointly managing grazing resources such as land and water across administrative boundaries,” Olesikilal explained. </p> <p>For example, through joint village land use planning in Kiteto District, close to 82,400 ha have been legally issued to livestock keepers associations (pastoralists) through certificates of customary rights of occupancy. Pastoralist representatives at the workshop requested the government to continue supporting the allocation of the grazing lands and ensure the law is followed to avoid conversion of the grazing land to other uses.</p> <p>Daniel Kitomai, a student from Sokoine University of Agriculture, presented evidence of decline in pasture quality driven by the spread of invasive plant species such as Astripomoea hyoscyamoides and Parthenium hysterophorus across grazing areas. Gabriel Bura from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, linked the problem to land ownership challenges and lack of accountability in communal grazing areas.</p> <p>“We continue to encourage pastoralists and livestock keepers<a> </a>to take greater responsibility by investing in infrastructure, proper land use planning, and sustainable management of grazing lands,” Bura said. </p> <h5>RST meeting resolutions </h5> <p>At the end of the workshop, the following five action points were agreed on as part of a collective action plan:</p> <ol> <li>Establishment of a national rangelands supervision authority</li> <li>Adoption of joint village land use plans for landscape connectivity  </li> <li>Enhancement of policy flexibility in rangelands management</li> <li>Integrating science and indigenous knowledge in the control of invasive plant species </li> <li>Lobbying the government to subsidize pasture seeds </li> </ol> <p>As RST marked its 21st anniversary, chairperson Ismail Selemani pushed for a shift in rangeland management, from conventional local practices toward science-based innovations. He called for stronger collaboration between research institutions, government agencies, and development agencies in mobilizing resources for public awareness and capacity building.</p> <p>With pressure on Tanzania’s rangelands continuing to grow, participants repeatedly emphasized that research alone will not be enough. Translating evidence into policy, investment, and coordinated local action will be critical to protecting grazing systems that support millions of livestock keepers and contribute significantly to the country’s economy.</p> <p>Related content: </p> <p><a href="https://www.ilri.org/news/pastoral-communities-tanzania-celebrate-securing-their-communal-grazing-rights">Pastoral communities in Tanzania celebrate securing of their communal grazing rights</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/publications/ilri-helping-pastoralists-and-farmers-tanzanias-kiteto-district-develop-land">ILRI is helping pastoralists and farmers in Tanzania’s Kiteto District develop land use strategies that enable both communities to reduce conflicts and improve natural resource management</a></p> Gloriana Ndibalema 47c04b5e-71b2-40a4-a1a9-20b7a94f2e63 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/world-food-safety-day-2026-highlights-one-health-solutions-safer-food-viet-nam <p>7 JUNE, THAI NGUYEN, Viet Nam – The International Livestock Research Institute (<a href="https://ilri.org/">ILRI</a>), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Mekong Institute (MI), the Institute of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development (IEHSD), Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), and partners are celebrating the <a href="https://www.ilri.org/events/world-food-safety-day-burden-solutions-safe-food-everywhere">World Food Safety Day 2026</a> through a communication initiative promoting practical solutions for safer food systems in Viet Nam.</p> <p>Under the theme “From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere,” the initiative brings together government authorities, researchers, businesses, local communities and students to promote the One Health approach and demonstrate actions that can reduce food safety risks.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d57e4cd9-abae-4169-9f35-ba35a17ffdba" height="1623" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/8.jpg" width="2560"> Students, food retailers, researchers and development partners joined a community campaign in Thai Nguyen Province to celebrate World Food Safety Day 2026, promoting practical actions for safer food and healthier communities (photo credit: ILRI/Chi Nguyen). <br> <blockquote> <p>"Food safety is a public health priority," said Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Viet Nam. "Preventing foodborne diseases requires coordinated action across the food system."</p> </blockquote> <p>In Viet Nam, continued efforts are needed to strengthen food handling and hygiene practices, increase consumer awareness, expand food traceability technologies, generate evidence through research and support stronger policies.</p> <p>Flagship activities are taking place in Thai Nguyen Province, a <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172888">One Health field site</a> where partners are strengthening collaboration across the animal health, human health and environmental sectors. These efforts also contribute to advancing the One Health approach promoted through the <a href="https://onehealth.org.vn/en">Viet Nam One Health Partnership</a> (OHP), under which ILRI currently co-chairs the <a href="https://www.ilri.org/food-safety-working-group-viet-nam">Food Safety Working Group</a> in Vietnam.</p> <blockquote><p>"Safe food is important for food security, nutrition and sustainable agrifood systems," said Vinod Ahuja, FAO Representative in Viet Nam. "This initiative demonstrates that practical solutions already exist, but ensuring safer food for all requires action across the food systems, from farmers to consumers, from policymakers to retailers. By working together across sectors, we can help ensure these solutions reach the people who need them most."</p> </blockquote> <p>A nationwide digital campaign is also promoting the <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241594639">Five Keys to Safer Food</a>, encouraging consumers and food handlers to adopt simple practices that reduce risks.</p> <blockquote><p>"Progress in food safety happens when research, policy, and community action come together," said <a href="https://www.ilri.org/people/hung-nguyen-viet">Hung Nguyen</a>, Regional Director for Asia at ILRI. "Research helps us identify where food safety risks occur and which interventions are most effective, but lasting impact requires partnership and collaboration. This campaign provides a platform for bringing together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, align efforts, and translate evidence into practical solutions."</p> </blockquote> <p>As part of the campaign, the Food Safety for Agrifood Systems Forum 2026 is bringing together authorities, researchers, universities, development partners, businesses and communities to discuss emerging food safety risks and practical solutions. Discussions highlight policy and technical perspectives on food safety governance and emerging risks while showcasing practical solutions and innovations and emphasizing the importance of translating knowledge and evidence into scalable actions.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f77e7ffb-22ce-4300-ac51-f6d6f02e22b8" height="1920" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_11.jpg" width="2560"> Students from Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF) and Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy are taking part in a bicycle tour to celebrate World Food Safety Day 2026 (photo credit: ILRI/Chi Nguyen). <br> <blockquote> <p>"Food safety challenges do not stop at national borders, and neither should the solutions," said Ornuma Polpanich, Director of the Green Transitions and Nexus Solutions Department, Mekong Institute (MI). "We are supporting knowledge exchange and collaboration like this forum so that successful practices, innovations, and lessons learned can be shared and adapted across Mekong communities and countries.”</p> </blockquote> <p>At the community level, students, food safety experts, market vendors and consumers gather at Dong Quang Market in Thai Nguyen City for food safety demonstrations. Around 200 students from Thai Nguyen also participated in a poster and video competition, with winning teams presenting their ideas during the forum.</p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dde390d5-2913-4676-ad57-ba3734ffa2aa" height="1920" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/14.jpg" width="2560"> A pork retailer at Dong Quang Market in Thai Nguyen Province (photo credit: ILRI/Chi Nguyen) <br> <blockquote> <p>"Universities play an important role in developing future leaders," said Phan Thi Hong Phuc, Vice Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF). "By engaging students in research and community activities, we are helping build a generation that can contribute solutions for safer food systems."</p> </blockquote> <p>Earlier activities engaged nearly 400 students from RMIT University in a food safety communication challenge, demonstrating how young people can help translate technical food safety messages into engaging, creative content for wider audiences. </p> <p>The initiative was made possible with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea and the <a href="https://www.cgiar.org/cgiar-research-portfolio-2025-2030/sustainable-animal-and-aquatic-foods">CGIAR Science Program on Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods</a> (SAAF).</p> <p>-30-</p> Chi Nguyen c14752b9-514e-4881-a7cc-fd769e0d129f Sun, 07 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/bringing-livestock-services-closer-farmers-nepal <p>In 2023, when Mithun Chaudhary was selected as a Village Livestock Promoter (VLP), he was working as a junior veterinary technician in Barahathawa, in Nepal’s Sarlahi district. Like many livestock technicians in rural areas, most of his work focused on treating sick animals. </p> <p>Today, his job is much more than that. </p> <p>Since completing training provided by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and partners, Chaudhary now supports around 200 farmers with feeding, breeding, artificial insemination, and animal health management. He also runs an agro-vet shop that supplies feeds, forage seeds, and animal health products to local farmers. </p> <p></p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="813a0972-5c57-4352-883d-429cc70d4fc7" height="521" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/nepal1.jpeg" width="1600"> Mithun Chaudhary at his agro-vet shop in Sarlahi district, Nepal (photo credit: ILRI). <blockquote> <p>“The project trained us on animal nutrition and business approaches,” Chaudhary said. “The training helped me gain knowledge on feeding, breeding and infertility.” </p> </blockquote> <p>The Village Livestock Promoter model, developed under CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity and now continued through CGIAR Science Program on Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods, aims to bring livestock services closer to smallholder farmers in Nepal. </p> <p>According to the <a href="https://dls.gov.np/downloadfiles/Livestock_and_Fisheries_Statistics_2079_80-1727349185.pdf" target="_blank">Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development</a>, Nepal has 1.8 million milking cattle and buffalo, producing about 2.6 million metric tons of milk annually—though  productivity is relatively low. Yields often average less than one ton per cow per year. With better management, yields can improve.  </p> <p>But in many rural areas, farmers still have limited access to livestock extension and veterinary services because of limited staffing and resources, said Gangaram Yadav, senior livestock development officer at the Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries Development in Koshi Province. </p> <blockquote> <p>“Farmers get services and inputs from trained technicians which can fulfil the gap that our extension providers cannot supply,” he said. </p> </blockquote> <p>Many farmers are raising improved dairy breeds such as Holstein and Jersey cattle, but they do not have enough support on feeding and animal care. Poor feeding can cause infertility and low milk production. So unlike traditional livestock services that focus on treatment, VLPs provide farmers with advice on feeding, breeding, and preventive healthcare in their own communities. Because VLPs like Chaudhary come from the same communities, farmers can easily contact them and build trust in their services. </p> <blockquote> <p>“Feeding, breeding, and health are the three major pillars of livestock production and productivity,” Yadav said. “VLPs can support farmers in all three sectors to improve livestock productivity.” </p> </blockquote> <p>One of the farmers working closely with Chaudhary is Rajendra Kumar Khatri, a buffalo farmer affiliated with the Bhuwaneshwori Milk Producer Cooperative. Before receiving support from the VLP program, Khatri faced challenges with managing feed and infertility in his buffaloes. </p> <p>Like many smallholder farmers, he depended mainly on traditional feeding practices and had limited access to technical advice on animal nutrition. Through the VLP program, Chaudhary introduced Khatri to improved feeding practices using <a href="https://www.ilri.org/research/projects/farm-feed-advisor" target="_blank">a digital feed-balancing tool</a> developed by ILRI.  </p> <blockquote> <p>“Now I incorporate more green forage and also compound feed in the diet of the buffalo,” Khatri said. “And I supply mineral mixture regularly from the agro-vet.” </p> </blockquote> <p>Khatri also participated in a fertility camp organized by ILRI, where he received mineral supplements and veterinary support for his buffaloes. The changes gradually improved the productivity of his animals, he said, and boosted his income. </p> <blockquote> <p>“Now both buffaloes give birth every year,” he said. “Milk production increased quite significantly from nine liters to 12 liters per day.” Khatri said having a local livestock service provider in the community has made livestock management easier and more reliable. </p> </blockquote> <p>The impact of the VLP model is also becoming visible at the cooperative level. At the Bhuwaneshwori Milk Producer Cooperative, manager Tika Ram Ghimire said farmers now directly contact Chaudhary for livestock-related support. The cooperative also involves him in farmer training activities on livestock production and productivity. </p> <p>Farmers now have easier access to artificial insemination services, feed, forage seeds, and preventive healthcare closer to their communities, said Ghimire. About 150 cooperative members also receive a subsidy of NPR 100 (USD 0.75) for artificial insemination services. </p> <blockquote> <p>“Previously, farmers had to go to the town to get compound feed,” he said. </p> </blockquote> <p>Today, about 200 farmers can access livestock inputs and services directly within their community through the VLP network, reducing travel time and costs. The cooperative has also observed increased use of compound feed and feed supplements among farmers—and their cows are now  producing more milk.  </p> <p>The success of the pilot has also attracted support from provincial governments. In Koshi Province, the Provincial Livestock Training Centre is now collaborating with ILRI to provide training for additional VLP candidates, while the provincial government is investing in scaling the program. </p> <p>From an initial group of 10 trained VLPs in 2022, there are now 62. The model is also gradually being woven into policy through different pathways in Nepal. Based on the positive results from the pilot phase, provincial governments in Koshi, Madesh, Bagmati, Lumbini, and Sudurpashchim have started integrating the VLP approach into their livestock development programs through training support, institutional partnerships, and provincial budget allocations. </p> <p>For policymakers like Yadav, one of the strengths of the model is its sustainability. Rather than depending on government staff, the approach creates local livestock service providers who make their own living while supporting farming communities. </p> <p>For Chaudhary, the biggest change is the stronger connection with farmers in his community, giving him more clients and a wider network.  </p> <blockquote> <p>“Becoming a VLP helped me gain practical ideas and also improve my business,” he said.  </p> </blockquote> Daniel Hailemichael 7bc1e595-706c-43b6-af8e-c57fe424de06 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/african-scientists-support-critical-steps-align-agricultural-policies-global-climate-goals <p>Across Africa, scientists, policymakers, and development actors are converging around a shared urgency: ensuring the continent’s agricultural systems are resilient, productive, and aligned with global climate ambitions. At the center of this effort is a growing ecosystem of science-policy platforms, supported by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and other institutions.</p> <p>One of the most influential of these platforms is the <a href="https://www.agnesafrica.org/" target="_blank">African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES)</a>, a think tank founded in 2015 to provide scientific evidence and technical support to African negotiators participating in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes. Since its inception, AGNES has played a pivotal role in strengthening Africa’s voice in global climate negotiations, particularly on agriculture, a sector that underpins livelihoods across the continent.</p> <p>ILRI has been a long-standing partner to AGNES, supporting its evolution into a credible science-policy interface. Through sustained investment in convening, research, and capacity strengthening, ILRI has helped ensure that African climate negotiators are equipped with the technical evidence and coordination needed to effectively articulate the continent’s priorities on the global stage—including for climate-resilient agriculture, adaptation, and financing.</p> <blockquote><p>“When you look at the national climate action plans that we have contributed to, we used research especially from ILRI and from our national research systems. Working with CGIAR has helped us to get information that can inform new policies,”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi8ekn8skBE&t=23s" target="_blank"> said Bernard Kimoro</a>, head of sustainable livestock at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development MoALD (Kenya).    </p> </blockquote> <p>In addition, ILRI has supported AGNES in developing its <a href="https://www.agnesafrica.org/training-portal/" target="_blank">Climate Governance, Diplomacy and Negotiations Leadership Program</a>, which has trained over 1,000 specialists to date. The course equips participants with the skills needed to engage in climate policy processes, while strengthening the science-policy interface across the continent. To expand access, ILRI has also supported AGNES to make the course materials publicly available.  </p> <h3>From commitments to transformation</h3> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8a866730-055f-4e75-bd9c-1a2654b8679f" height="600" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/agnes_web_0.png" width="800"> ILRI has helped ensure that African climate negotiators are equipped with the technical evidence and coordination needed to effectively articulate the continent’s priorities in global climate dialogues. (Photo credit: Laura ILRI/Cramer). <p>According to analysis by AGNES, climate impacts could shrink national GDPs in the region by 1.6% and reduce agricultural productivity by <a href="https://futureecosystemsafrica.org/report/Land-Evidence-Base.pdf" target="_blank">6% by 2050</a>. At the same time, <a href="https://www.agnesafrica.org/download/policy-brief-no-2-land-degradation-and-climate-change-in-africa/" target="_blank">climate variability is disrupting traditional pastoral systems</a>, intensifying competition over land and water, and contributing to conflict, especially in arid and semi-arid lands.  </p> <p>Recognizing that agriculture has historically been underrepresented in climate negotiations, AGNES, with support from ILRI, has worked to bring agricultural expertise to global negotiation tables, including UNFCCC Conference of the Parties meetings.  </p> <p>African countries are now entering a new phase of climate ambition, submitting updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the 2031–2035 period. Unlike earlier iterations, the latest NDCs move beyond generic agricultural interventions to embrace a whole-system approach. They integrate mitigation and adaptation across the entire agri-food value chain, reflecting a deeper understanding of the interconnected challenges facing the sector. AGNES has shaped the structured, science-driven dialogue by African countries.  </p> <p>With ILRI’s support, AGNES convenes biannual strategy meetings, where experts, negotiators, and policymakers come together to develop common African positions ahead of international climate negotiations. These meetings ensure that African delegations enter global forums with unified, evidence-based perspectives.</p> <p>The institute has also supported AGNES in producing key technical resources, including a <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/108139" target="_blank">report on livestock management systems under climate change</a>, which outlines current realities and future scenarios for the sector across Africa. Researchers also contributed to the development of <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134839" target="_blank">A New Narrative for African Livestock</a>, a publication that reframes livestock systems as opportunities for climate resilience, economic growth, and sustainable development rather than solely as sources of emissions.</p> <p>The resulting climate committments for the 2031–2035 period  by countries such as Kenya and Rwanda are much more robust, ambitious, and context-specific, said ILRI scientist Laura Cramer. </p> <img class="img-fluid rounded" src='https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/styles/paragraph_full_width_image/public/full_width_image/2026/african_climate_negotiators_web.jpg?itok=pEjOlesM' alt="" title="" /> ILRI/Laura Cramer ILRI has helped ensure that African climate negotiators are equipped with the technical evidence and coordination needed to effectively articulate the continent’s priorities in global climate dialogues. <p>“These updated NDCs will not only address the challenges posed by climate change but also pave the way for a sustainable, low-emission, and climate-resilient agri-food systems in Africa.”  </p> <h3>What defines Africa’s new NDCs?</h3> <p>In the new commitments, adaptation remains at the core, with countries prioritizing measures to address food insecurity, drought, and flooding, and acknowledging there may be irreversible impacts on agricultural systems and rural livelihoods, said Cramer.</p> <p>Mitigation efforts focus heavily on agriculture, forestry, and other land use, which accounts for <a href="https://transparency-partnership.net/system/files/document/Eastern%20Africa%20Executive%20summary.pdf" target="_blank">approximately 65% of emissions across the continent</a>.  </p> <p><a href="https://globalresearchalliance.org/n/five-african-countries-include-agriculture-in-their-updated-ndcs-kenya-ethiopia-rwanda-zambia-and-senegal/" target="_blank">Countries</a> such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana among others are already demonstrating this ambition through enhanced targets, integration of green growth strategies, and the adoption of nature-based solutions.  </p> <p>Kenya’s enhanced NDC (2025/2026) aims for a 32% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, with a major focus on the agricultural sector. Ghana will address agricultural productivity by integrating forest protection with cocoa farming, shifting to sustainable practices that improve yield without expanding into forests. In its updated NDC, Rwanda prioritized agriculture, which accounts for 55% of its total emissions, with a strong focus on mitigation and adaptation through soil and livestock management.</p> <h3>Bridging global ambition and local realities</h3> <p>While AGNES operates at the continental and global level, complementary efforts are underway at national level. In Kenya, ILRI has played a significant role in supporting the Climate Smart Agriculture Multi-Stakeholder Platform (CSA MSP), an inclusive forum that brings together government, researchers, private sector actors, and civil society.</p> <p>Launched in 2018 during an inaugural meeting at ILRI, the platform is chaired by the Climate Change Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and guided by a 20-member steering committee. Members meet regularly to coordinate climate action, align stakeholder efforts, and inform national policy processes.</p> <p>ILRI’s support has included facilitating quarterly meetings, contributing to the development of a five-year strategic plan, and actively participating in the platform’s steering committee. Support from other member organizations has even cascaded down to the county level, with a growing number of county platforms serving similar functions at a subnational level. The model has proven influential, inspiring similar multi-stakeholder platforms in Ethiopia and Zambia.</p> <p>Together, AGNES and the Kenya CSA MSP illustrate how coordinated action across scales can help bridge the gap between international climate commitments and on-the-ground implementation. Through sustained collaboration, inclusive dialogue, and evidence generation and sharing, ILRI is supporting African countries to increasingly align their agricultural systems with global climate goals, while improving the livelihoods of the continent’s most vulnerable people. </p> Daniel Hailemichael acbb3fd4-f618-4dab-a876-1def746d1e7d Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/scapegoat-solution-how-evidence-based-advocacy-changed-livestock-story <p>A decade ago, whenever livestock appeared in global media, the angles were mostly negative. The reports emphasized the sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and lifestyle diseases, and made sweeping assumptions based on the industrial farming practices and meat-consumption rates prevalent in the Global North. In international fora like the UN climate conferences, activists called for the end of meat.  </p> <p>But ILRI researchers working on the ground in Africa and Asia knew the real story was much more nuanced. Some people eat too much animal-sourced foods; others eat too little. In many lower and middle-income countries, livestock are a crucial source of livelihood and identity for smallholder farmers and nomadic pastoralists. They serve as dowries, bank accounts, and insurance policies, and provide nutrient-rich milk, meat, and eggs for millions of families that don’t have access to other sources of protein. </p> <blockquote> <p>“Livestock was seen as a baddie,” said ILRI director of communications and advocacy Michael Victor. “There was a very binary discourse.” So starting in 2016, ILRI conceived an advocacy initiative aiming to change the narrative about livestock, increase development investment in the sector, drive adoption of key innovations, and bridge the gaps between farmers, scientists, and policymakers. </p> </blockquote> <p>This was an iterative, nimble set of activities that became collectively known as the Global Sustainable Livestock Advocacy for Development (GLAD) project, Victor said. </p> <p>In the effort’s earliest iteration, the focus was assembling and articulating the scientific evidence to underscore the <a href="https://whylivestockmatter.org/" target="_blank">importance of livestock</a> and add that missing nuance—for instance, that people in the Global South consume a fraction of the meat that people in wealthy countries do, that owning animals can be a vehicle for women’s economic empowerment, or that while livestock accounts for half of the economic income from agriculture, it <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/moving-towards-sustainability-the-livestock-sector-and-the-world-bank" target="_blank">gets just 4% of the development funding</a>.  </p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8c2bf8e-63d6-436b-9acd-83cd817412a8" height="541" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/UN%20trans%20fat_SciDevNet.png" width="485"> SciDevNet covered ILRI's efforts to ensure that the world’s poorest people were not denied the nutritional benefits of milk and meat. <p>Between 2016 and 2025, the GLAD team enabled the syndication of 3,000 media articles on these and other topics, including 20 opinion pieces by ILRI scientists or partners in global outlets like The Guardian, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera, among others. Over the same period, the team was involved in organizing 95 events, and met with national delegations from 23 countries, 9 UN agencies, and 10 international organizations, including the African Union and the World Farmers’ Organisation.  </p> <p>Any changes in the global discourse about livestock are difficult to attribute to a singular project, but <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178401" target="_blank">a media audit</a> commissioned by ILRI found that by 2023, media coverage of livestock had evolved to become more nuanced, with more neutral and positive stories. </p> <p>One of the most notable outcomes came in 2019, when the EAT-Lancet Commission released a seminal report on a “planetary health diet”, said Victor. The report was critized for encouraging everyone to transition to plant-based diets, without taking into account the health needs of people of different ages and genders, or the cultures and needs of those in the developing world. </p> <p>In response, ILRI synthesized scientific evidence and supported the publication of a number of opinion pieces that provided an alternative perspective—for instance, that in Ethiopia, moderate increases in milk and meat consumption are necessary for the country to combat malnutrition and child stunting. The message landed—for instance, <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20190207154412-p07kz/" target="_blank">the Italian ambassador to the UN quoted an opinion piece</a> by then ILRI board member <a href="https://www.ilri.org/index.php/people/gebregziabher-gebreyohannes" target="_blank">Gebre Gebreyohannes</a> that highlighted the shortcomings of the EAT-Lancet report. Shortly afterwards, the UN World Health Organization <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1700" target="_blank">pulled its support</a> for the initiative.  </p> <p>Similarly, in 2025, the UN drafted a Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases which aimed to eliminate trans-fatty acids from diets—a directive which could have inadvertently denied the world’s poorest people the nutritional benefits of milk and meat. ILRI launched a <a href="https://whylivestockmatter.org/articles/press-release-new-un-declaration-must-protect-rights-worlds-poorest-nutritional-benefits" target="_blank">campaign to point this out, </a>including an <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175586" target="_blank">open letter</a> to UN negotiators from 115 high-profile signatories—and those recommendations were reflected in the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/16-12-2025-world-leaders-adopt-a-historic-global-declaration-on-noncommunicable-diseases-and-mental-health" target="_blank">final declaration</a> passed in December.    </p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5cf1b5c2-4d8c-4387-a662-b9acab65a778" height="533" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/namkolo_covic.jpg" width="800"> Namukolo Covic, ILRI director general's representative to Ethiopia, has advocated for livestock's essential contributions to nutrition and diets. (photo credit: ILRI/Agegnehu Alene) <br> <h3>From adversaries to allies  </h3> <p>Early on, the ILRI team sought out relationships with people in organizations on the other side of the narrative divide—plant-based food advocates and animal-rights groups like Pro Veg International and Four Paws. Through frank and open conversations, they found common ground, and began holding events together.</p> <p>“They started inviting us into their spaces,” said Cynthia Mugo, ILRI’s advocacy lead from 2020 to 2026. The team also <a href="https://whylivestockmatter.org/alive-4-climate-alliance" target="_blank">forged alliances with other organizations</a> to help bring livestock into wider discussions about climate or agriculture, and enlisted the support of 15 prominent development leaders to advocate for livestock.  </p> <blockquote> <p>“What I've seen work in this space is constant presence,” Mugo said. “The minute you're not at the table, your issue is off. You have to put it in their face. You have to talk to the people who matter. It doesn't matter if you're doing at the global or national level, you need to figure out who are the allies, and who is listened to.” </p> </blockquote> <p>For instance, an advocacy organization like Pro Veg explaining the nuances of the livestock system to their audience is much more effective than ILRI delivering that message, she said. “It has to be someone credible—people who enter rooms that we are not seated in.” If an agenda is seen as self-promotional, it is likely to be ignored, she added. ILRI has explicitly tried to put forward many other groups and voices—even providing extensive training on how to present to the UN or submit policy papers. “It wasn’t all about positioning ILRI,” Mugo said. “The message was the priority.” </p> <p>The initiative has strengthened the connective tissue between livestock keepers, researchers, and policymakers, said Robynne Anderson, the president of the consulting firm Emerging Ag, which has worked closely with ILRI on the GLAD project.  </p> <blockquote><p>“For both farmers and scientists, it's very easy to be busy in the purposefulness of that work and to think that the outside policy sphere is the purview of politicians and diplomats and bureaucrats,” she said. “But the story of livestock needs to be told in places of power, and when it is, the result is much more thoughtful policy.”  </p> </blockquote> <h3>A changing world </h3> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="217b07ba-c1a9-4805-b0f5-0754bac066da" height="414" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/Healthy%20Sustainable%20Diets_Reuters.png" width="391"> Then ILRI board member Gebre Gebreyohannes wrote about the shortcomings of the EAT-Lancet diet recommendations in an op-ed published by Thomson Reuters Foundation News in 2019. <p>When these activities began, there was <a href="https://www.ilri.org/news/science-and-advocacy-finding-right-balance" target="_blank">some unease</a> among ILRI scientists about whether a research organization should be doing advocacy. “It’s still an ongoing debate, but we’ve really changed ILRI in that sense,” said Victor. The wider organization has acknowledged that producing good research is not sufficient to make change—and that communicating that research to the right people, influencing policy, and catalysing investment is necessary, too. “It’s very much now embedded in how we work,” said Victor.  </p> <p>ILRI’s innovative methods have been noticed by other organizations, too. Birthe Paul, who leads the GIZ Catalyzing Transformation towards Sustainable Livestock Systems (LiveSys) program, said the development organization has now adopted ILRI’s strategic approach to advocacy. </p> <blockquote><p>“We liked what we saw. The global and continental advocacy work is well done and the whole thinking around messaging and engagement seems kind of unique.”</p> </blockquote> <p>The team is also constantly <a href="https://www.ilri.org/news/science-and-advocacy-finding-right-balance" target="_blank">iterating and evolving</a>, said Victor. Ten years on, the project is still at the cutting edge of strategic advocacy for change. In its next phase, the project will focus on increasing the impact of ILRI’s technical innovations—in livestock vaccines, <a href="https://fifty.ilri.org/stories/building-better-cows" target="_blank">dairy genetics</a>, and <a href="https://www.ilri.org/news/g-feast-journey-madagascar-building-resilient-feed-systems-through-local-voices" target="_blank">drought-tolerant more nutritious forages</a>—to understand the political economy within which they operate and test how advocacy approaches can help them scale. </p> <p>Developing a new technology is just the first step, Victor said. </p> <blockquote><p>“Technologies are not going to scale on their own. We need to understand the social and institutional barriers to change, and then find the right entry points that will unlock those barriers. It’s really about changing systems.”  </p> </blockquote> Daniel Hailemichael 403c80a1-6a81-4328-9efc-69d22db41b90 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed https://www.ilri.org/news/reaching-millions-farmers-through-climate-information-services <p>A pastoralist in northern Kenya receives a timely voice alert warning of delayed seasonal rains. A wheat farmer in central Ethiopia accesses localized fertilizer recommendations through a mobile advisory platform. In Senegal, cattle herders use digital climate forecasts to guide grazing movements and plan water-use.</p> <p>Across Africa’s drought-prone farming and pastoral landscapes, digital climate information services are helping communities and decision-makers to better prepare for uncertainties.</p> <p>Digital advisories, climate forecasts, and decision-support systems have now reached 1.5 million farmers and livestock keepers—almost a third of them women—in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal. This achievement is a result of collaborations between the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), other CGIAR centers, the <a href="https://aiccra.cgiar.org/">Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa program (AICCRA)</a>, and national public and private sector entities.</p> <p>On its own, raw climate science isn’t helpful—people on the ground need accessible, easy-to-use services, said ILRI’s Ram Kiran Dhulipala, Senior Scientist for Digital Agriculture and Innovation. </p> <blockquote> <p>“If we can bridge the climate science with creating usable services for pastoral communities, it will go a long way toward making livestock systems less risky, and improving the lives of pastoral communities whose livelihoods heavily depend on livestock.’’  </p> </blockquote> <h3>Why climate information matters now </h3> <p>Pastoral communities and smallholder farmers in Africa are facing tougher and tougher decisions.  </p> <p></p> <img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9dc56fda-2382-4006-b6df-04719d6e38da" height="428" src="https://www.ilri.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/riching_millions.jpg" width="800"> Boru Dabasso is one of millions of livestock keepers facing though decisions about how to best tackle climate change impacts and protect his herd. <p>For nomadic pastoralists, the questions concern things like: which livestock breed is safest for the coming season? Which pasturelands are better to feed our cattle herds? Where are the key markets for our livestock? Settled farmers, on the other hand, ask themselves: when should we plant forage crops? Should we invest in fertilizer now or later? Should we try to find better-paying markets for our produce? </p> <p>In the past, people based those decisions mostly on local information—advice from family or neighbors, traditional weather forecasts, and elders' instincts. As extreme events such as droughts, floods, and pest and disease outbreaks intensify across the continent, pastoralists and farmers need trustworthy, localized advice to complement Indigenous knowledge and address their practical, on-the-ground challenges. </p> <p>ILRI research shows that climate services can <a href="https://www.ilri.org/index.php/knowledge/publications/climate-information-services-enhance-farmers-resilience-climate-change" target="_blank">significantly reduce production risks</a>, with timely advisories <a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/publications/climate-and-weather-services-can-enhance-ethiopian-farmers-resilience" target="_blank">enhancing productivity and resilience</a>. Moreover, digital tools and innovations play a vital role in overcoming challenges related to distance, literacy, and the delivery of extension services.  </p> <h3>Ethiopia: Building a national digital climate advisory ecosystem </h3> <p>Through the AICCRA program, ILRI partnered with key national agricultural research systems, private sector actors, and CGIAR centers in Ethiopia to develop a digital advisory platform that combines weather forecasts, agronomic data, and tech-backed observations to <a href="https://aiccra.cgiar.org/publications/are-investments-digitalisation-agro-climate-advisory-service-profitable" target="_blank">support farm-level decision-making and increase profit</a>. </p> <p>At the core of this partnership is the <a href="https://aiccra.cgiar.org/publications/enhancing-climate-resilience-through-tailored-agro-climate-advisory-services-ethiopia" target="_blank">Ethiopian Digital Agro-Climate Advisory Platform</a>, which now produces seamless forecasts, models, and alerts for climate extremes. Through the agency of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, the platform provides bi-weekly advisories on sowing, land preparation, fertilizer use, weeding, spraying, and harvesting for farmers.  </p> <p>At the same time, private-sector agri-tech company LERSHA has provided more than 370,000 farmers with agro-climate advisories via voice messages and toll-free call centers. </p> <h3>Kenya: Digital pastoral intelligence through KAZNET </h3> <p>In Kenya, ILRI helped to develop <a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/publications/kaznet-open-source-micro-tasking-platform-remote-locations" target="_blank">KAZNET</a>, a digital crowdsourcing initiative and decision-support tool that allows pastoralists to share and access real-time information about grazing conditions, livestock health, water availability, market access, and climate risks. The name is derived from kazi kwa net, Kiswahili for “working within a network”. </p> <p>KAZNET's success relies on over 130 citizen volunteers who input data and share information with communities via smartphones. It uses citizen science to gather data on market trends, grazing conditions, and food security from weekly-monitored sites. This information is then summarized in dashboards to aid decision-making for households and institutions.  </p> <p>ILRI researchers also helped officials set up a national AgData Hub, integrated into the existing <a href="https://www.kaop.co.ke/" target="_blank">Kenya Agricultural Advisory Platform</a>, which reaches 700,000 farmers across Kenya.  Kenya Meteorological Department’s Simon Gachuiri said it now includes climate change and drought analysis information as well as farm advice. </p> <p> ILRI’s <a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/publications/kaznet-crowdsourcing-information-climate-resilience-drylands" target="_blank">research</a> has shown that climate services are more successful when communities actively contribute rather than just receive information. Now, insights from Kenya are shaping regional strategies for climate-smart livestock systems across <a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/stories/exploring-integration-kaznet-ethiopias-national-and-regional-resilience" target="_blank">East Africa</a>. </p> <h3>Senegal: Expanding access through inclusive climate services </h3> <p>Senegal’s arid Ferlo zone is a challenging environment marred by climate variability, where farmers face prolonged droughts and infrequent rains. <a href="https://www.ilri.org/knowledge/publications/climate-information-services-need-livestock-production-senegal-and" target="_blank">Research carried out by ILRI and CGIAR Initiative on Livestock and Climate</a> found that livestock keepers there increasingly require timely, localized, and actionable climate-related information to better manage grazing, water resources, and animal health.  </p> <p>ILRI’s climate information service work in Senegal aims to expand decision-support tools to French-speaking communities. By weaving climate services into local extension programs, the aim is to ensure herders and farmers have access to the latest weather forecasts through SMS advisories and community outreach initiatives.  </p> <p>Launched in May 2023 jointly with AICCRA and the national meteorology agency L’Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), Senegal’s own AgData Hub is also ushering in a new generation of agro-climatic services that are faster, more accurate, and locally owned and operated. </p> <blockquote> <p>“For us farmers and herders, the AgData Hub is a vital input for our sector,” explained Bara Cissé, a meteorological expert at ANACIM.  “It is an indispensable tool that allows us to adapt our practices and better anticipate periods of drought or excessive rainfall.” </p> </blockquote> <h3>Delivery, accessibility, and inclusion </h3> <p>Reaching the “last mile users”—the farmers and herders at the end of the information supply chain—has long been one of the challenges for delivering climate information services in Africa. Many rural areas still struggle with limited connectivity, weak support systems, and little access to digital tools. Additionally, climate advisories often come across as too technical, not localized enough, or disconnected from practical farm and livestock management decisions.  </p> <p>The challenge is worsened by literacy and language barriers, gender inequalities, and the seasonal movement of herding communities, whose information needs differ from those who farm in just one place. ILRI’s experience in Africa shows that effective climate information services rely not only on technology but also on trusted local networks, inclusive communication strategies, and strong partnerships that connect climate science to real-world decision-making at scale, said Dhulipala. “Otherwise you won’t reach everyone you need to.” </p> <p>To improve inclusion and accessibility, it helps to choose communication channels that have the best chance of reaching a diverse audience, he said, whether that’s via radio programs, SMS and call alerts, or through extension agents. </p> <h3>Digital tools for resilient food systems  </h3> <p>In the past, technical innovations haven’t always reached the people who need them most—the farmers and herders bearing the brunt of climate change and natural disasters. Now, ILRI has established itself as a reliable technical partner for national-scale climate information services, working to close the gap between information providers and information users. </p> <p>ILRI’s research has demonstrated that bringing communities into decision-making and embedding local knowledge into technology and data systems can help make climate information services more accessible for all, enabling millions of people to make smarter decisions in an increasingly uncertain climate future. </p> Daniel Hailemichael 51331106-f886-46e2-8588-547f80913a21 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 RSS Feed