This is the first of a regular roundup of news from the CGIAR Livestock and Fish research program. Launched in January 2012, the program aims to increase the productivity of small-scale livestock and fish systems in sustainable ways, making meat, milk and fish more available and affordable to poor consumers across the developing world. Download a print version
Program news
First annual report
After a period of engagement and design, the program started in January 2012. Published in April 2013 its first annual report gives insights into progress, achievements and challenges.
Patricia Rainey...
Uganda piggery
In recent months, Livestock and Fish value chain assessment activities have been carried out in Masaka district as part of the Uganda Smallholder Pig Value Chains Development (SPVCD) and Safe Food, Fair Food (SFFF) projects.
On 22 April 2013, Pastor Lukwago, one of the farmers approached by the project team, was unfortunately unavailable to meet the team. However his wife shared the letter below, which we share here as it captures the project work so well. The emphasis on different topics by the author of the letter is retained.
A SMALL REPORT ON MY PIGGERY PROJECT – VISION...
On 1 May, Professor James Muir, formerly of the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling passed away.
Muir was a founding member of the Science and Partnership Advisory Committee of the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish.
Writing on behalf of the program, ILRI director general Jimmy Smith expressed his deep sadness on learning of his passing. “James had immediately begun engaging in his role with the program and we were already beginning to benefit from his extensive knowledge and experience in aquaculture research. We will sorely miss him.”
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After a period of engagement and design, the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish began in January 2012. It’s first annual report was just published giving insights into progress, achievements and challenges.
The program’s model to enhance the relevance, urgency and impact of its research is designed to bring together collective CGIAR capacity CGIAR to demonstrate how research can develop appropriate solutions as integrated interventions for pro-poor transformation of selected value chains and work towards their implementation at scale by development partners. Through a...
The Livestock and Fish team working on the smallholder pig value chain in Uganda recently held a workshop to identify potential best-bet interventions based on the value chain assessment work.
Best-bets are interventions which better fit the prevailing conditions (constraints and opportunities) under which farmers and other value chain actors operate and have more chance to be adopted and contribute towards improving the current situation.
The two day workshop held on 8-9 April 2013 convened a rich mix of stakeholders and partners. They represented research and academic institutions, local...
Women selling farmed fish on the roadside in Egypt
In recent years, Livestock and Fish program partner WorldFish works with CARE – a leading humanitarian organization – on projects to improve livelihoods in developing countries. This collaboration includes work in Egypt and Bangladesh (with the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems).
In Egypt, linked with the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish, CARE is working with WorldFish on a project to improve employment and income through the development of Egypt’s aquaculture sector. According to CARE staff in...
On 10 April 2013, Patricia Rainey joined the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to be ILRI’s program support coordinator for the CGIAR research programs on Livestock and Fish and Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH). Rainey, a South African, has strong program management skills and a particular interest in research methods for development.
As program support coordinator, she will work closely with the head of development partnerships, value chain coordinators, theme leaders, and key finance, human resources and administration personnel at the partner CGIAR centres to...
At the recent meeting on ‘Integrating Nutrition into the ASEAN Food Security Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in ASEAN Region’, Michael Phillips, Malcolm Beveridge and Stephen Hall made a presentation on fish and food and nutrition security; fish as food; and fish, food and nutrition security scenarios in the ASEAN region.
Key messages include:
Fish is important for ASEAN food and nutrition security
Fish is a preferred item in the diets of many, especially poor, people
It is an important source of quality and highly bioavailable protein, but more...
Until recently, livestock husbandry in Vietnam’s Central Highlands was not very productive. Animals were intermittently sold to free-up cash to put towards weddings or large purchases, and the rest of the time they were left free to graze on native pasture and crop residues. To help revitalize these livestock systems, researchers at CIAT have been testing different kinds of improved forages and developing improved management strategies with farmers.
The ‘cut and carry’ systems introduced confine cattle to lots and provide them with high quality feed from nutritious forages such...
Dual purpose cattle in Nicaragua
The Livestock and Fish program director, Tom Randolph recently visited Nicaragua and Colombia. In Colombia he met colleagues in the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), a partner centre for the program, which leads forages research within the program’s feeds platform as well as the dual-purpose cattle value chain activities in Nicaragua.
In Nicaragua, Randolph together with the CIAT team working on the value chain held meetings with Edwin Perez, a former ILRI employee, who is leading a new Technoserve dairy development project in the...
