ILRI Blog Posts and News Updates

When camel cross borders, so can peace and prosperity

Daniel Hailemichael — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

New initiative to help transform the livestock sector in low- and middle-income countries launched at 2026 Borlaug Dialogue

Anne-Marie Sch… — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A new flagship series will compile evidence and help coordinate efforts across the Global South to sustainably improve food and economic security through the livestock sector.

October 21, DES MOINES, IA – A new initiative to support low- and middle-income countries to leverage their livestock sectors for sustainable development was launched at the 2026 Borlaug Dialogue, organized by the World Food Prize Foundation.

Livestock Futures, a multi-year flagship series, was announced by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Des Moines, where world leaders in politics, business, academia and advocacy gathered for the three-day event on tackling hunger.

The livestock sector is already a primary economic driver in low- and middle-income countries, contributing around 40 per cent of agricultural GDP and supporting the livelihoods of 1.7 billion people worldwide.

However, healthy diets, which include animal-source foods, remain out of reach for almost 2.7 billion people, according to the latest UN data. Across Africa, where animal-source foods remain essential to nutrition and cognitive development, and where demand is forecast to double by 2050, they are the least affordable.

Livestock Futures will focus on one priority area a year between now and 2030, convening a coalition of experts to fill evidence gaps and outline potential solutions for different livestock production systems. It builds on previous work to develop and scale solutions like genetic improvements to increase productivity, livestock vaccines to reduce losses to disease and index-based livestock insurance.

The four priority areas – identified through a recent review – are livelihoods and food security; climate, natural resources and One Health; climate action and food security; and climate action and livelihoods.

The series aims to connect insights into the livestock sector with those from food systems, climate, health, development, investment and related fields to help guide all stakeholders to engage in a connected ecosystem delivering sustainable livestock systems transformation.

The initiative follows a review of evidence that found four critical gaps holding back the livestock sector from supporting sustainable development. The livestock sector is often missing from research into nutrition, livelihoods, One Health and the environment, while people-focused evidence is lacking. Climate dimensions are also largely absent and rarely linked to food security or livelihoods.

Evidence on livestock emissions and climate risks to livestock is also scarce and does not relate to the other development outcomes, and many reviews do not clearly distinguish between pastoral, smallholder, intensive, or other livestock systems.

“Livestock are much more than a source of commodities. They are a foundation for food and nutrition security, livelihoods, resilience and sustainable development for billions of people,” said Professor Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

“By launching Livestock Futures at the Borlaug Dialogue, we are placing the sector at the very heart of the global conversation around ending hunger. Livestock production systems have a critical role to play in sustainable food systems of the future, and it is vital that the sector develops in step with the broader development opportunities and priorities of the Global South.”

The new initiative was discussed as part of a “deep dive” on livestock during the Borlaug Dialogue, which showcased opportunities to transform the sector to reduce hunger within planetary boundaries and highlighted the need for new conversations that bring in a wide variety of sectors. The session, co-organized by ILRI, University of California, Davis, and Iowa State University, was the first time livestock has featured in the plenary of the Borlaug Dialogue.

Consultations on Livestock Futures are currently under way with the first flagship product expected in 2027.

Ends

For more information or to request an interview, contact

Anne-Marie Schryer-Roy

Team Leader, Strategic Communications and Outreach

When camel cross borders, so can peace and prosperity

Polycarp Onyango — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

For generations, communities living along the Kenya-Ethiopia border – including the Borana, Gabra, Gare, Burji, Sakuya and Somali have shared grazing lands, languages, cultures, trade, and a way of life built around livestock as their primary source of food and income. Yet the region has also lived with recurring conflict, competition over resources and the disruption that insecurity brings to families and communities. For three days in August 2026, representatives of these communities, from Kenya and Ethiopia, came together for the first-ever cross-border camel caravan in Moyale. Along with 12-kilometre journey, came cultural dances and songs, community dialogues, and unique cultural practices, while celebrating the role of camels in their communities.

The caravan revived a long forgotten cultural peace practice called Qumbi. Prior to the event, the Borana and Gabra communities conducted this intercommunal peace ceremony, which involves among others, exchange of customary incense, to bring peace and harmony to the region. The Qumbi ceremony was last held forty years ago.

Elders from the Borana and Gabra communities conducting Qumbi, an intercommunal peace ceremony. Photo credit: SND

The event was officially flagged off by Mr. Benedict Munywoki, Deputy County Commissioner, Moyale Sub-County, Kenya, and Mr. Galma Koropicha, Mayor of Moyale Town, Ethiopia. During the journey, they planted fruit trees in schools and hospitals.

“These fruit trees are permanent footprints and a reminder for the communities and institutions that hosted the caravan,” explains Bethlehem Abebe of IGAD CEWARN.

Through the caravan, communities shared traditions and heritage and rebuilt connections. For women, it was an opportunity to highlight the economic power of an animal they rely on every day. For young people, it offered a glimpse of new businesses that can grow from pastoralism.

More than just an animal

For pastoral families, camels have multiple uses. Asli Ali Dido, a camel owner from Butie, in Moyale Sub-County explains.

“Camels provide milk, even when other sources of food are scarce. It is sold in case of medical emergencies or to pay school fees. It is a means of transport for children, the sick and the elderly people and for carrying household belongings during migration in search of pasture and water.

Because camels have a long lactation period and can produce up to ten liters of milk per day, for women like Asli, this regular income provide a measure of security and independence.

“We get oil from the camel hump. A big camel can give us up to twenty liters of good natural oil that we use to cook and even sell the surplus,” says Hawo Kontoma, secretary of Bakalcha women group in Moyale.

She explains that camels also have deep cultural significance. The families store fermented camel milk for visitors and dry its meat and preserve it for months in a form called ‘nyirinyiri’ or ‘koche.’ Nyirinyiri is an important part of community traditions including marriage.

For these reasons, songs celebrating livestock and the people who care for them are part of the region’s cultural heritage.

Camels during the cross-border camel caravan in Moyale, Kenya. Photo Credit: ILRI/Polycarp Otieno Onyango

Modern camel by products

The caravan also looked towards the future of women and youth in the pastoral economy. The women and youth displayed products made from camel resources, including yoghurt, fermented milk, processed fresh milk, dried meat, and biscuits. One of the groups that displayed their products is Moyale Sessi Camel Milk Cooperative. Asha Diba Nura, one of its members, explains:

“Our cooperative processes camel dairy products. Young people on motorbikes collect milk from livestock keepers out in the rangelands and bring it to our processing facility where we test it, package and sell as fresh or fermented milk and yoghurt. People really love our yoghurts and milk.”

According to Tahira Mohamed, Regional Partnership and Engagement lead based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), these business opportunities are especially important for young people who might otherwise see few prospects in the pastoral economy.

“After the caravan, together with ICRISAT, we trained fifty-five young people from Kenya and Ethiopia in agribusiness opportunities along the camel value chain. The aim is to show them that pastoralism is not simply a way of life inherited from the past, but an economy that can create new opportunities when knowledge, innovation and markets come together,” Tahira added.

The camel caravan, and the image of people from different communities moving together, following an animal that has helped them survive some of the harshest conditions on earth, carried a message that peace and prosperity, like the 12-kilometre journey, are things communities must continue to travel together.

The caravan itself might have only lasted three days, but its significance will stretch much further. The caravan championed peace, camel value chain, environmental protection, and culture. The message was simple: When camel cross borders, perhaps peace and prosperity can too.

Acknowledgement

ILRI, with support from the CGIAR Food Frontiers and Security Science Program, IGAD’s CEWARN program and local partners CIFA and SND organized the camel caravan. The caravan was part of the commemoration for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026.

From street corners to fine dining: Kenya’s love affair with the humble egg

Paul Waweru Nyambura — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

From street corners to fine dining: Kenya’s love affair with the humble egg

It is just after dawn at a bus stage in Nairobi's central business district, and Duncan Muriithi has already sold 120 eggs. His cart holds a tray of hard-boiled eggs, a bowl of “kachumbari” (fresh tomato and onion salsa) and a knife. He peels an egg, slices it open, spoons in the salsa and hands it to a commuter for 30 Kenyan shillings (KES) (around USD 0.25).

On Kenya's streets, this is “nigongee” (literally, “break it for me”). Cheap, filling, and sold almost everywhere, it is a quick snack for many buyers, and for some, the only meal of the day.

The egg doesn't stop at the street corner. At dawn, it sizzles on a roadside pan and is rolled into a chapati (flat bread) for a commuter in a hurry. By evening, the same egg may be poached or baked in an upscale restaurant. Few foods cross Kenya's social and economic divides so easily. As Kenya's appetite for eggs grows, their importance extends far beyond convenience. The appeal lies in a combination of nutrition, affordability, and a production system that connects farmers, traders, vendors, and consumers.

Nutrition in a shell

One large egg carries about six grams of high-quality protein, including all nine essential amino acids. It also provides vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium, iodine, and antioxidants that support eye health.

“Eggs combine quality protein with micronutrients, can be produced locally, and fit into many meals," says Christian Tiambo, a scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

Eggs are also among the more affordable sources of animal protein. Research on food prices found that, on the basis of calories and unit cost, the energy cost of eggs is significantly lower than that of other animal-source foods such as meat, poultry, and fish.The yolk is rich in choline, an essential nutrient for brain development. Because the body only makes small amounts, most of the choline must come from food, and eggs are among the best sources. In a Cornell University study, children whose mothers took extra choline late in pregnancy showed better sustained attention at age seven.

That matters in Kenya, where 18% of children under five are stunted: too short for their age because of chronic undernutrition. Eggs alone won't fix that; children and pregnant women need diverse diets. But eggs help. Egg-a-day programs in Kenya and Ethiopia have increased children's dietary diversity by 20%.

In Ethiopia, an ILRI trial that added one boiled egg to the breakfast of schoolchildren aged 6–12improved cognitive performance, school outcomes, and iron status. Establishing poultry farms within schools allowed for sustainable egg production, directly linking poultry to school meals and demonstrating potential livelihood opportunities. The findings demonstrate how a simple, locally produced food can support both nutrition and learning.

From chicken coop to street corner

Behind every nigongee is a hen, and often a woman who keeps it. Across sub-Saharan Africa, 85% of rural households keep poultry, and women own about 70% of the hens. In Kenya ownership of rural poultry is shared among the family members but women (63%) are the primary owners, followed by children (18%).

Those flocks face hard odds, and disease is among the biggest. Newcastle disease can wipe out a village flock in days. When rural Kenyan households vaccinated their chickens against it, their children ate 24% more protein-rich food and grew better. A relatively inexpensive vaccine can protect a family's savings, income, and children's diets at the same time.

Preventing disease helps hens survive, but genetics help determine how many eggs they produce. Indigenous chickens are hardy but lay relatively few eggs. In Ethiopia, ILRI has supported breeding efforts involving the native Tilili chicken, resulting in a 111% increase in egg production within 24 weeks. At the same time, 16-week body weight increased by 68%, yielding more productive birds for smallholder farmers.

In Kenya, ILRI has collaborated with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and other local groups under the CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Animal Productivity (SAPLING) to improve chicken production and smallholder farmer livelihoods. According to the initiative's outcome brief, 216 small-scale farming households in Bomet and Kakamega counties, 159 of whom are led by women, have embraced superior chicken breeds and methods, including KALRO, Kuroiler, and Sasso.

Farmers have received better training in chicken husbandry procedures such as housing, feeding, and vaccination, as well as 12,000 chicks for brooding. The project has also provided unique feeding methods, with the production of black soldier fly larvae for chicken feed beginning in Kakamega. Tiambo explains that “improved chickens can lay much more eggs while adjusting to smallholder settings, allowing farmers to boost productivity, improve household nutrition, and make more money from poultry”.

Then there is feed, the biggest cost in producing an egg. When feed prices rise, keeping a nigongee at KES 30 becomes increasingly difficult. ILRI investigated a diet combining flaxseed and plant polyphenol extracts to produce omega-3-rich eggs.

The study found that eating one omega-3-enriched egg three to four times per week could help vulnerable populations meet the recommended omega-3 consumption levels. The science is therefore not only about producing more eggs; it is also about improving their nutritional value.

Making informal markets safer

What makes nigongee great also makes it risky: it is sold everywhere. Eggs can carry Salmonella, and an egg sliced on a street cart and topped with raw vegetables is only as safe as the vendor's hands, water, and knife. Worldwide, foodborne disease kills about 420,000 people a year and makes 600 million ill. That burden is comparable to malaria, HIV/AIDS, or tuberculosis.

Because nigongee is largely sold through informal markets, improving food safety means working with vendors rather than replacing them. Most of the meat, milk, and eggs eaten in Africa are sold in informal markets, and ILRI's research shows that banning or bypassing these markets doesn't make food safer. Working with them does.

There is a One Health angle too. Some farmers use antibiotics to keep their birds alive. Misuse can leave residues in eggs and drive antimicrobial resistance, which threatens people and animals alike. Vaccines, better housing, and good feed reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place. Some farmers use antibiotics to keep their birds alive. Misuse can leave residues in eggs and drive antimicrobial resistance, which threatens people and animals alike. Vaccines, better housing, and good feed reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place.

Keeping a staple on every plate

The egg's journey from backyard to bus stop is a food system in miniature. Demand for animal-source foods in sub-Saharan Africa could triple by 2050. Whether eggs stay within reach of the commuter, the schoolchild, and the pregnant mother depends on what happens long before the pan: healthy and productive hens, affordable feed, safe markets, and fair returns for the women and young people who raise and sell them.

That is where ILRI's work begins. As the world marks World Egg Day on October 6, the humble egg reminds us that ordinary foods can generate some of the biggest returns: for nutrition, for livelihoods, and for the people who bring them to market.

Indigenous chicken breeding innovation in Southeast Asia gains international recognition

Chi Nguyen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

An innovative approach to improving indigenous chickens through the ACIAR-supported Asian Chicken Genetic Gains (AsCGG) project has received international recognition, highlighting its potential to strengthen smallholder poultry production across Southeast Asia and beyond.

The Participatory Indigenous Chicken Breed Improvement Programme (PIC-BIP) received an ISSCA Global Award 2026 in Livestock Improvement & Production Technologies at the Dryland Congress in New Delhi, India, in September 2026. Wondmeneh Esatu, poultry geneticist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), received the award on behalf of the research team and partners.

Developed by ILRI with national research partners and farming communities, PIC-BIP takes a different approach to conventional poultry development. Instead of simply distributing improved chickens, it establishes a breeding and delivery system that can continue generating genetic gains while retaining the characteristics local farmers and consumers value.

Farmers are directly involved in defining breeding priorities, evaluating birds and supporting their multiplication and delivery. The approach combines this participation with performance and pedigree recording, genetic evaluation and community-based breeding systems.

Smallholder farmer raising indigenous chickens in Cambodia (photo credit: ILRI/Hoa Hoang).

Demonstrating impact in Cambodia

The approach has been implemented in Cambodia through AsCGG in close collaboration with the National Animal Health and Production Research Institute (NAHPRI) and the Livestock Development for Community Livelihood Organisation (LDC), working with provincial authorities, farmer groups and village-level chicken multipliers.

Indigenous chickens are an important source of food and income for rural Cambodian households, but limited access to quality breeding stock and sustainable breeding systems has constrained productivity.

AsCGG has helped establish four nucleus breeding farms and community-based systems for multiplying and delivering improved Skuoy indigenous chickens. To date, more than 190,000 improved Skuoy day-old chicks have been produced and disseminated, while around 500 farming households have participated directly in breed evaluation, multiplication and distribution.

AsCGG project team and partners visit chicken breeding trial farms in Cambodia (photo credit: ILRI).

Alongside these practical results, the project has strengthened national capacity in poultry breeding. Researchers, technicians and extension personnel have gained experience in breeding program management, data collection, artificial insemination, genetic evaluation and participatory breeding approaches.

‘This recognition belongs to the many partners and farming communities who have worked with us to demonstrate that indigenous chickens can be systematically improved without losing the characteristics that make them valuable to farmers,’ said Esatu.

‘Farmers are partners in the process, from defining what should be improved to evaluating the chickens and participating in multiplication and delivery.’

From Cambodia to the region

Building on experience and lessons from Cambodia and earlier work in Viet Nam, AsCGG entered a new phase in 2025 to strengthen and scale sustainable smallholder poultry systems across Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam.

Smallholder farmers participate in on-farm chicken breed testing in Viet Nam (photo credit: ILRI/Chi Nguyen).

The regional partnership brings together ILRI with NAHPRI and LDC in Cambodia; the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) and National University of Laos (NUoL) in Lao PDR; and the Vietnam Institute of Animal and Veterinary Sciences (VIAVS) in Viet Nam, with financial support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

In Viet Nam, the project is building on on-farm and on-station testing of chicken breeds to identify productive, locally adapted options for smallholder farmers. In Lao PDR, the new phase is establishing the evidence, partnerships and breeding capacity needed to develop locally appropriate approaches to improving village chicken production.

AsCGG Phase 2 expands indigenous chicken improvement efforts to Lao PDR (photo credit: ILRI/Hoa Hoang).

Across the three countries, the next phase will combine genetic improvement with stronger value chains, farmer participation, nutrition and gender considerations, institutional capacity development and engagement with public and private sector actors.

The ACIAR-supported Asian Chicken Genetic Gains is a platform for testing, delivering and improving chickens for enhanced livelihood outcomes in South-East Asia. The project is led by ILRI in partnership with national research and development institutions in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam.

AsCGG enters Phase II to scale poultry genetics gains in Southeast Asia

Improved indigenous chicken project boosting food security and livelihoods in Takeo Province, Cambodia

ILRI supports development of Lao National Poultry Strategy 2026–2035

Developing profitable chicken production systems for Southeast Asian farmers

Successful improved smallholder poultry systems in Cambodia and Vietnam spur expansion

Different journeys, one mission: Advancing low-emission livestock solutions

Grace Oduor — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

For Archit Mohapatra and Egas José Armando, the journey to Kenya began in different countries and with distinctly different research interests. But at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), their work is converging around an important climate challenge: how to reduce livestock emissions while supporting livelihoods and food security.

Mohapatra, a biotechnology PhD student from India, is investigating whether locally available legumes can help sheep produce less methane. Armando, an agricultural engineer from Mozambique, is developing a digital monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system to improve how emissions reductions from livestock waste are measured.

Both are Climate, Food and Farming: Global Research Alliance Development Scholarships (CLIFF-GRADS) fellows based at ILRI’s Mazingira Centre in Nairobi, where they work alongside scientists and technical experts. CLIFF-GRADS gives early-career researchers from low-and middle-income countries access to research facilities, technical expertise, mentorship, and international scientific networks. It is a joint initiative of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program (CASP). Round 7 of the programme is funded by the Government of New Zealand and the Global Methane Hub, and administered by Randstad New Zealand.

At the Mazingira Centre, researchers can study livestock emissions, feed systems, manure management, and climate mitigation options within a single research environment, creating opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and countries. For fellows such as Mohapatra and Armando, the placement offers access to a unique combination of facilities and expertise.

Greenhouse gas emissions are among the most pressing challenges facing livestock production today. Yet livestock supports the livelihoods of about 1.3 billion people worldwide, providing food, income, and employment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Balancing these economic and social benefits with the need to lower the sector's environmental footprint is key to building more productive and sustainable livestock systems.

Finding better feed

Mohapatra joined the Mazingira Centre in May 2026 to contribute to the Low-Methane Forage project. His research focuses on identifying locally available legume forages that can reduce methane emissions from sheep while maintaining productivity.

“I am inspired by the belief that bringing together diverse ideas and Africa’s rich natural resources can turn tropical forages into solutions that benefit the world.” Mohapatra says.

In the laboratory, he is testing different forages to understand their digestibility, methane production, and effects on rumen microorganisms involved in methane formation.

The work has also given him a close look at what happens before an experiment begins. One of the lessons he has valued most is seeing how researchers carefully plan and design experiments before moving into laboratory testing.

For Mohapatra, however, the ultimate test is whether the research can lead to feeding options that work for farmers: “If we can reduce methane emissions while improving productivity, it will be a win-win for both the environment and farmers.”

His research is therefore looking beyond methane alone, towards feeding strategies that could contribute to livestock systems that are both more productive and lower in emissions.

Mohapatra collects legume forage as it dries on racks at the ILRI Mazingira Centre (photo credit: ILRI/Grace Oduor).

Making manure count

While Mohapatra is looking inside the animal, Armando is looking at what happens outside it.

Armando arrived at ILRI in June 2026 for a five-month placement. A PhD researcher at the University of Rwanda, he specializes in the Internet of Things and embedded computing systems. He also lectures in agricultural engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique.

“My interest in digital agriculture comes from a passion for solving real-world problems and using technology to make farmers’ lives better.” says Armando.

At the Mazingira Centre, he is applying those digital skills to the biogas digester that turns livestock manure into biogas and digestate. Biogas is a cleaner cooking fuel and reduces dependence on firewood, while digestate can be used as a nutrient and carbon-rich organic fertilizer.

The potential is significant, but demonstrating environmental benefits requires reliable data. Measuring temperature, pressure, and gas flow manually can be difficult and time-consuming so Armando is working on a sensor-based digital system that automatically collects this information and integrates it into a single dashboard.

The goal is to make it easier to understand how the system is performing and, importantly, to generate reliable data for assessing greenhouse gas reductions.

“If we want to claim greenhouse gas credits (units earned for reducing emissions), monitoring, reporting, and verification have to be accurate and transparent,” Armando explains.

His work illustrates another dimension of climate action: reducing emissions is only part of the challenge. Reliable data are also needed to quantify and report those reductions. Digital monitoring systems could contribute to broader MRV approaches used to track mitigation outcomes and, potentially, support mechanisms that provide financial incentives for adopting low-emission practices.

Armando validates the smart thermometer reading against a manual thermometer during a water boiling test at the ILRI Mazingira Centre (photo credit: ILRI/Grace Oduor).

Growing through collaboration

Mohapatra and Armando are among four CLIFF-GRADS fellows currently based at the Mazingira Centre. They bring different scientific backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, but share a commitment to developing practical solutions for more sustainable livestock systems.

For Mohapatra, one of the most rewarding aspects of the fellowship has been exposure to new approaches, perspectives and research methods.

“All of the researchers come from different parts of the world, so we share our experiences, learn from one another, and work together,” he says.

As they near the end of their placements, both fellows are looking ahead to how they can apply what they have learned. Alongside their research experience, they will take home new technical skills, expanded professional networks, and practical insights that can support climate-smart livestock development in their respective countries.

And as the world searches for practical ways to make livestock systems more productive and lower in emissions, that knowledge could help turn research into solutions that deliver impact far beyond the walls of the Mazingira Centre.

Acknowledgement

ILRI acknowledges the support of the Climate, Food and Farming – Global Research Alliance Development Scholarships (CLIFF-GRADS) programme, a joint initiative of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program (CASP). Financial support for CLIFF-GRADS Round 7 is provided by the Government of New Zealand and the Global Methane Hub.

ILRI also acknowledges support for Archit’s research through the Low Methane Forage project, funded by the Gates Foundation and Bezos Earth Fund, alongside CGIAR Climate Action Program support, and for Armando’s research funded through the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the CGIAR Climate Action Program. The research reported here was also partially supported by a gift made to ILRI by the Rainier Foundation that invests in Livestock and Climate research and development in Africa.

How growing forage for livestock turned a small plot into a thriving family business

Haimanot Seifu — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In Ethiopia's Hadiya Zone, smallholder farmers are turning small plots of oats into profitable forage seed businesses that provide supplementary income, helping families cope with feed shortages, adapt to a changing climate, and plan for the future.

For most of his life, Ayele Tibebu has farmed in the highlands of Misha district in the Hadiya Zone of Central Ethiopia. A father of five, he worked hard on his land. But a shortage of good-quality animal feed and the rising cost of keeping livestock healthy has made it difficult to get ahead.

“Without quality feed, we could not make progress,” Ayele says. “It affected the supply of our milk and meat and our ability to provide nutritious animal products for our families.”

Across Ethiopia, these challenges are growing. Erratic rainfall, shrinking farmlands, longer dry periods, and poor access to improved planting material make feed shortages more frequent, putting extra pressure on smallholder farmers who depend on livestock for food and income.

A small start

In 2024, Tibebu decided to try something new. Inspired by his cooperative's early success with forage seed, he planted oats on just 0.25 hectares of land. He managed the crop carefully, and at the end of the season, he harvested 600 kilos of high-quality oat seed. Demand for improved forage seed in the area was high, and he sold his entire harvest for ETB 45,000 ( USD 288).

That early success opened new opportunities. In 2025, he expanded to 0.375 hectares and produced 900 kilos of oat seed. As demand grew, prices rose sharply to ETB 120,000 ( USD 770) per ton. Forage seed quickly became one of the most profitable activities on Tibebu’s farm.

Ayele harvests fresh Guatemala grass, one of several improved forages he grows to feed his livestock all year round. (Photo credit: ILRI/Fikadu Tessema)

Investing in the farm and the family

Tibebu used his forage seed earnings, together with other household income, to invest in his farm. He bought an ox, meaning he no longer has to rent animals for ploughing. He also bought a Jersey heifer to boost the family's milk supply, and he planted high-value fruit trees, such as avocados, to diversify income and nutrition sources for his family. He now has enough regular income to cover essential costs—such as fertilizer and improved seed—without struggling.

Tibebu has also improved the way he feeds his own livestock. Around his homestead, he now grows several improved forage grasses, including phalaris, guatemala, elephant, and desho. Because these grasses grow during different seasons, his animals have nutritious feed all year round, and the farm is better protected when the rains are poor or late. Perennial grasses such as desho also keep the soil covered, which helps to reduce erosion in sloping areas.

“I started on a very small piece of land,” Tibebu says. “But that small start has given my family a more secure future.”

Ayele with his cattle as they feed on fresh forage grown on his own farm. (Photo credit: ILRI/Fikadu Tessema)

Part of a bigger effort

Ayele's journey is part of a wider initiative to commercialize forage seed. It is led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) through the TAAT II project, working with local extension and research institutions. Farmers receive Early Generation Seed (EGS)—high-quality seeds and cuttings developed by research centers—along with training in seed production, certification and marketing.

The Licha Farmers’ Union, a key ILRI partner in the Central Ethiopia region, brings together 83 primary cooperatives representing 10,000 member farmers. One of these groups is the Gombora Primary Cooperative, where Tibebu serves as chairman. Members pooled 25 hectares of land for forage seed production and together produced 19 metric tons of quality declared seed (QDS).

The regional agricultural-input quality-control and quarantine authority sets the standards, and checks that only seed meeting them reaches farmers. With support for seed quality assurance and certification and access to reliable markets, members were able to obtain fair prices for their seed.

“Quality assurance and a reliable market made the difference. Once farmers trusted both, they invested their land and their time in producing seed.” says Million Gebreyes, a social scientist at ILRI.

Looking ahead

For the 2027 season, Ayele plans to expand his oat seed plot to 0.5 hectares. As a model farmer, he is showing his neighbors that forage seed is more than just feed for livestock. It is a real business opportunity.

“This represents an essential shift for Ethiopia's livestock sector,” Gebreyes, says. “When farmers move into forage seed agribusiness, they drive local economic growth and ensure a steady supply of quality feed, which is the foundation of better livestock productivity.”

“Researchers and governments now need to build on this forage-seed commercialization pilot to ensure broader forage biomass commercialization,” adds Kindu Mekonnen, a senior scientist in crop-livestock systems at ILRI.

There is a substantial and growing gap in both the availability of quality forage and reliable market linkages between rural, peri-urban, and urban dairy milk sheds, as well as in livestock fattening systems. Strengthening commercial forage seed production can help to establish a reliable supply for farmers, and creating opportunities for people throughout the value-chain to produce and market forages as a viable business.

“Better feed also matters for the climate,” Mekonnen says. “Well-fed animals produce more, which means lower greenhouse gas emissions for each liter or kilogram of milk or meat. A reliable local seed supply also means farmers can plant forages when they need them, rather than waiting on distant sources in a difficult season.”

Farmers can produce formal forage seed when the right institutional arrangements are in place, Mekonnen says. The next step is scaling up the approach, with support from zonal and regional governments. Stronger links between EGS production at Worabe Agricultural Research Center and organized seed producer associations will also be important.

Ayele shares coffee with his family at home, a moment of joy after a long day on the farm. (Photo credit: ILRI/Fikadu Tessema)

This work is supported by the TAAT II project and the CGIAR Sustainable farming and scaling for impact science programs.

ILRI and Scotland’s Rural College expand partnership for climate-resilient systems

Anne-Marie Sch… — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

As livestock systems face growing pressures from climate change, food insecurity, and as the need for rural economic opportunities continues to grow, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are expanding their partnership to translate research into practical field solutions.

On 11 September 2026, the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at ILRI’s Nairobi campus. The agreement establishes a strategic framework for joint research, shared funding pursuits, knowledge exchange, education, training, and researcher mobility.

The MoU was signed following a week-long series of technical exchanges focusing on climate-resilient livestock systems, forage and feed, genetics, animal health, dairy, beef, small ruminant production, innovation, scaling, and resource mobilization.

Expanding on an established partnership
The partnership combines complementary strengths: SRUC integrates research, education, farmer engagement, and commercial activity, while ILRI contributes expertise in livestock science across Africa and developing regions.

A prime example of ongoing cooperation is a livestock productivity, animal health, nutrition and welfare project commissioned by the UK-CGIAR Center.

Working alongside the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, scientists from both organizations are evaluating forage varieties and crop residues that increase livestock yields while lowering greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants.

The work forms part of wider UK-supported agricultural research through the UK-CGIAR Centre, which connects UK scientific expertise with CGIAR and national research capabilities to address challenges facing agriculture and livestock systems.

The MoU expands this foundation, enabling the institutions to co-develop research initiatives, secure external funding, host joint workshops and conferences, and co-publish findings. It also facilitates resource sharing, staff and student visits, internships, fellowships, and secondments.\

This focus on applied research extends to economic impact: both institutions see innovation as a pathway to wider economic and social benefits. Wayne Powell, SRUC’s principal and chief executive, highlighted the importance of translating research into commercial opportunities that support entrepreneurship, job creation, and agribusiness growth.

“Beyond understanding the science, we must identify the commercial and entrepreneurial opportunities that drive job creation and launch new enterprises,” Powell said.

From research to innovation and impact
In addition to reviewing existing projects, leaders focused on accelerating market and community impact. Siboniso Moyo, ILRI deputy director of policy, partnerships, and impact, highlighted the momentum behind the agreement: “We are coming together to build on our ongoing work, define the next phase of our partnership, and scale up our joint initiatives.”

Participants explored how combined institutional expertise can bridge science and practice through enterprise development, farmer outreach, and commercial partnerships. Reflecting on the week’s outcomes, ILRI director general Appolinaire Djikeng, noted that the relationship has evolved beyond standalone research trials.

“We began the week intending to sign an MoU, but our progress has taken us far beyond that—this is now a strategic alliance,” he said.
And SRUC provost and deputy principal Jamie Newbold noted that, despite geographical differences across Scotland, Kenya, and Ethiopia, many agricultural challenges are shared, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration. He emphasized that innovation must translate into tangible benefits for farmers and communities, and that the strategic alliance provides a strong platform for both institutions to deliver meaningful impact.

“Climate change and food security present urgent, real-world challenges. Our responsibility is to deliver practical solutions and opportunities that enable small-holder farmers to tackle these issues and thrive,” Newbold said, stressing the shared ambition to translate innovation into lasting change.

Looking ahead
Initial priorities include reinforcing the innovation ecosystem around livestock genetics, such as establishing an entrepreneur-in-residence model to nurture emerging start-ups. The agreement will also explore joint academic appointments and visiting fellowships to deepen institutional ties.

With the framework now in place, ILRI and SRUC are focused on translating their shared ambitions into tangible outcomes, combining innovation and enterprise to support more productive, resilient, and sustainable livestock systems for farmers and communities worldwide.

Further reading: Livestock improvement, animal health, nutrition and welfare.

*The project is funded by UK International Development from the UK government

For more information, contact

Anne-Marie Schryer-Roy

Team Leader, Strategic Communications and Outreach

Could familiar shrubs help Kenyan dairy farmers produce more milk, cut costs and reduce methane emissions?

Grace Oduor — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Kenya's smallholder dairy farmers face a difficult balancing act. They must produce enough affordable milk to meet growing demand. They have to keep cows fed through longer dry seasons and absorb rising feed costs. They are also expected to reduce the climate footprint of their herds. New research suggests that part of the solution may already be growing on their farms.

Scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute’s (ILRI) Mazingira Centre and partner organizations tested how common fodder shrubs can affect methane when added to a typical Kenyan dairy cow’s diet. Two shrubs stood out as promising candidates for reducing methane emissions: Calliandra calothyrsus and Leucaena leucocephala. The results come from laboratory (in vitro) studies that simulate digestion in a cow’s stomach and now need to be confirmed in feeding trials with live animals. While this approach is widely used to screen promising feeds before animal testing, it cannot fully capture the complexity of digestion, feed intake, and milk production in live cattle.

Calliandra calothyrsus, a fodder shrub grown at the ILRI farm in Nairobi, Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Grace Oduor)

Cattle and other ruminants produce methane as a natural by-product of digestion. As microbes break down fibrous feeds in the rumen, they produce methane, which is released mainly through belching. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. It is also wasted energy that could otherwise go into milk production.

The research conducted at the Mazingira lab evaluated the effects of incorporating different shrubs and forages into a typical Kenyan dairy ration. The team replaced about 12 percent of the standard diet, on a dry matter basis, with different fodder species. Calliandra and Leucaena delivered the most promising results. They reduced methane by approximately 10–13 percent per unit of feed, and they did not reduce how well the feed was digested or how much energy it was estimated to provide.

Tannins are likely to be the reason, at least in part, behind these beneficial effects. Previous research suggests that moderate concentrations of tannins can hold back the microbes that produce methane without stopping the animal from absorbing nutrients. Unlike plants with very high tannin levels, Calliandra and Leucaena appear to strike a balance, reducing methane without compromising nutrient availability.

"These results are an important first step, but they now need to be validated in live animals under practical feeding conditions before recommendations can be made to farmers," said Dr. Edward H. Cabezas Garcia, who led the study. "The goal is to identify feeding strategies that help farmers produce more milk with a smaller environmental footprint, using resources that are already available locally."

The findings are particularly relevant for Kenya's smallholder dairy sector, where feed shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to productivity. During the dry season, many farmers rely heavily on roughages (coarse plant feeds that contain more than 18% crude fiber and less total digestible nutrients) such as Napier grass, maize stover, crop residues and natural pastures. These feeds give less milk and produce more methane per liter of milk.

Adding carefully managed amounts of shrub leaves to these diets could lead to multiple benefits. Raising better feed potentially means more milk from the same animal and less methane per liter of milk. It could also mean farmers rely less on expensive commercial concentrates, helping to lower production costs.

"Many smallholder farmers are already familiar with these shrubs because they have long been used as livestock fodder and for soil conservation," noted Dr. Cabezas Garcia. "What this research shows is that integrating them as targeted ‘methane-smart’ feeds represents an enhancement of existing systems rather than the introduction of entirely new technologies.”

That familiarity matters. Beyond their role as livestock feed, these shrubs offer a range of additional advantages for farming households. Calliandra and Leucaena can grow along farm boundaries, on terraces or in dedicated fodder banks, so they take little land away from crops. They produce valuable green biomass during dry periods when other feed resources are scarce.

Leucaena leucocephala, a fodder shrub grown at the ILRI farm in Nairobi, Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Grace Oduor)

As legumes, they also fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, improving soil fertility and supporting healthier cropping systems. Their leaves and prunings make good mulch (a layer of organic material spread over soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature) while woody stems provide fuelwood. When rain is unpredictable, a single plant that does several jobs is worth a lot to a farming household.

Still, a promising lab result does not yet mean change on farms. Feeding trials with live animals (in vivo studies) are planned as the next step. They will test whether the methane reductions observed in the lab mean lower emissions on farms, with milk yields holding steady or rising.

If the trials confirm the results, the next challenge will be to get shrubs onto farms at scale. Farmers will require reliable access to quality seed and seedlings, along with practical guidance on establishment, pruning and appropriate feeding rates. Labor-saving approaches to shrub management could also encourage adoption, particularly for households with limited resources.

Climate solutions for livestock are often pictured as costly new technologies. This research points elsewhere, to plants farmers already know and could use more deliberately. In a changing climate, these versatile shrubs may prove to be small plants with an outsized impact on the future of sustainable dairy farming.

Link to relevant sources

Link to the paper in JDS Communications (Elsevier)

https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(26)00102-X/fulltext

Acknowledgements

This work was made possible by the Programme for Climate-Smart Livestock (BMZ/GIZ, Germany), the Habitat–GCBC programme (UK Defra, DAI Global, and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew), the CGIAR Science Programs on Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods and Climate Action — supported by the CGIAR Trust Fund, the New Zealand Government via the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, and the "Low Methane Forages" project (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Bezos Earth Fund). The views expressed here are our own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the funders.

Getting ahead of El Niño: turning early warnings into action across the Horn of Africa

Polycarp Onyango — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

When El Niño rains reach the drylands of the greater Horn of Africa, the first problems herders face is likely to be practical: a flooded track to market, animals falling sick and veterinarian who cannot get through to them.

“Climate forecasts can warn of impending hazards, but their value ultimately depends on what happens before those hazards become a crisis,” says Kelvin Shikuku, senior scientist, and economist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

"Early warning systems work best when they trigger fast action to prevent damage. This requires connecting weather forecasts directly to emergency services, communication networks that reach the communities most at risk, and to funding," he adds.

In pastoral and agro-pastoral areas, these extreme weather events like an El Niño can disrupt entire livelihood systems. They can result in blocked livestock routes, and damaged roads and bridges. These can interrupt trade and restrict access to veterinary services. Heavy rainfall can also increase crop pests and trigger major spikes in vector-borne and waterborne animal diseases, such as Rift Valley Fever. When extreme weather disrupts markets, pressure on shared natural resources grows. These effects rarely stop at borders. They spread across shared river basins, grazing territories, livestock migration routes, and trade networks. Across the Greater Horn of Africa, preparing for El Niño therefore calls for coordinated action to protect livestock, maintain access to markets and essential services, and reduce the risks facing communities whose livelihoods depend on interconnected drylands.

These challenges were central to the Regional High-Level Forum on El Niño Preparedness hosted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15 to 17 September 2026. The forum brought together governments, research institutions, humanitarian and development organizations, technical agencies, and private-sector participants to examine how regional early-warning systems can trigger timely and coordinated responses. One message came through clearly: Because climate risks extend beyond administrative or national boundaries, preparedness efforts should also do the same.

"To be fully prepared, countries must share risk assessments, track threats together, and exchange data across borders. Our response strategies must reflect how closely livestock, animal health, and trade connect across the region," says Meshack Baraza, a graduate fellow at ILRI.

Resting long-horned cattle herd. Photo Credit: Meshack Baraza / ILRI

Connecting risk information to practical support

At ILRI, this challenge is at the heart of research under the Risk Management for Vulnerable Populations theme, which examines how climate and environmental shocks affect livestock, markets, food security, and household welfare. Its consistent lessons are that early warning delivers greatest value when information triggers action before losses escalate. The need is most acute in fragile and conflict-affected settings, where insecurity, displacement, restricted mobility, and limited access to formal risk-management services can compound climate-related vulnerabilities.

“ILRI studies how factors like water shortages, animal diseases, market shifts, and food scarcity combine to affect a family's ability to survive crises. By mapping these links, we can spot upcoming hardships early and step in to protect vulnerable households before things get worse,” explains Samuel Derbyshire, a postdoctoral fellow working on triggers for anticipatory action.

Two complementary ILRI approaches are central to this work. The first is insurance that gives pastoralists financial protection. The second is community-generated data that shows what is happening on the ground.

Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) provides financial protection against drought-related forage losses, using independently measured environmental indicators to trigger payouts. Timely payments can help pastoralists secure feed, water, and other essentials to protect their herds before deteriorating conditions lead to substantial losses. The evidence is strong. Pastoralists with IBLI cover are 36 percent less likely to make distress sales of livestock. Insured households also cut meal skipping by 25 percent and rely 33 percent less on food aid. More than 500,000 IBLI policies have been sold, with beneficiaries exceeding three million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

However, insurance can do more than compensation. Bundled Index-Based Livestock Insurance links financial protection with services that address the multiple risks livestock keepers face. These can include veterinary care, vaccination, and disease surveillance at times when flooding and crowded herds heighten animal-health risks. They can also include fodder vouchers, links to feed suppliers, emergency credit, and climate and market information tailored to local circumstances. Insurance triggers could also be link to pre-approved credit or temporary changes to loan repayments. This would help pastoralists, traders, fodder producers, veterinary providers, and cooperatives to maintain their operations during climate shocks.

The El Niño Preparedness IGAD forum in Ethiopia provided a platform for advancing approaches such as these. Its emerging IBLI community of practice brings together member states, insurers, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (IGAD-ICPAC), United Nations agencies and other partners to exchange experiences, improve insurance products and strengthen their contribution to anticipatory action.

A livestock market in the Horn of Africa. Photo Credit: Meshack Baraza / ILRI

Bringing community intelligence into early warning

Satellite observations and seasonal forecasts provide essential information about changing environmental conditions. However, they cannot fully capture what is happening in individual markets, at water points, on grazing land and within livestock-keeping households.

KAZNET, an open-source, digital micro-tasking and crowdsourcing platform developed by ILRI helps close this gap. Local contributors complete short-paid reporting tasks on their phones, enabling the platform to generate frequent community-based observations on livestock markets, pasture and water conditions, animal body condition and health, household circumstances, mobility, and pressure on resources.

KAZNET operates across the drylands of East Africa, in Kenya and Ethiopia, and has expanded into West Africa through implementation in Kano State, Nigeria. Its scaling has also included integration with Kenya’s government-led Kenya Agricultural Observatory Platform (KAOP), extending the use and reach of community-generated livestock and rangeland information. These observations can reveal early signs of livelihood stress, deteriorating animal condition, unusual disease signals, disrupted livestock movements, and changing market conditions. Combined with climate, satellite, and administrative information, they provide a more complete picture of emerging risks. Integrating such information into early-warning systems can help governments identify areas requiring intervention; help insurers improve risk-management solutions; and help service providers anticipate demand for fodder, water, veterinary care, and other support. It also gives communities a more active role in producing and using information that informs decisions affecting their livelihoods.

"For centuries, pastoral communities have used traditional groups and networks to share information and for teaming up to mobilize resources. We need to recognize and build on these,” says Tahira Mohamed the regional partnership and engagement lead at ILRI.

Acting before losses becomes crises.

Protecting livestock before a crisis escalates has benefits that extend beyond reducing animal deaths. Healthy, productive animals support milk production, household nutrition, income, and herd reproduction. When livestock lose body condition, their productivity and market value decline, while household spending on feed, water, and food increases. Without timely support, families may be forced to sell animals at depressed prices, reducing breeding herds and making recovery more difficult and expensive. Rebuilding lost livestock assets can take several seasons.

The effectiveness of anticipatory action should therefore be judged not only by the number of animals saved, but also by its contribution to maintaining productivity, preventing distress sales, protecting household food security, and reducing future recovery costs. Across the IGAD region, the challenge is to make these benefits possible by connecting regional forecasts with information from affected communities, accessible financial protection and services that can respond before losses accumulate. Bundled insurance can provide financial support, KAZNET can make changing local conditions visible, connect community observations with wider environmental, market and livestock information. Regional institutions can coordinate action across borders, while governments and service providers deliver assistance where it is needed. The priority is to ensure that early warnings do more than signal an impending hazard. They must help trigger timely decisions and practical interventions that protect livestock, sustain pastoral livelihoods, and reduce the human and economic costs of climate shocks.

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Could familiar shrubs help Kenyan dairy farmers produce more milk, cut costs and reduce methane emissions?

Getting ahead of El Niño: turning early warnings into action across the Horn of Africa