Animal Feeding / Cattle / CCAFS / CGIAR / CIAT / Climate Change / Feeds / Forages / Intensification / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Research / South America / Systems Analysis / Targeting

What’s the beef? Giving livestock a break in Colombia

Cows are regularly portrayed as evil: four-legged, four-stomached, greenhouse gas machines chomping through forests and destroying the planet. It’s no wonder the idea of a climate-smart livestock system sounds like an oxymoron. Nevertheless, you can get a glimpse of these systems in Colombia’s mountainous, Cauca Department. Patía is also a microcosm of Colombia’s livestock conundrum. … Continue reading

Article / CIAT / Crop-Livestock / Environment / Feeds / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Research / Systems Analysis / Value Chains

Do smallholder, mixed crop-livestock livelihoods encourage sustainable agricultural practices?

The authors examine by means of a meta-analysis the argument that small-scale, mixed crop-livestock farming, a common livelihood among poor rural peoples, leads to environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. Continue reading

Animal Feeding / CIAT / Feeds / Forages

CIAT seeks applications for a qualified Plant Breeder – Tropical Forages

CIAT is seeking applications for a qualified Plant Breeder – Tropical Forages; a visionary and innovative breeder with interest in tropical forages recognizing their importance in agricultural systems for livelihoods and environmental benefits. The position is internationally recruited with a posting in Palmira, Colombia. Continue reading

Animal Feeding / ASSP / Crop-Livestock / Feeds / ICARDA / ILRI / Legumes / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH

Grain legume crop improvement to support increased productivity in crop-livestock systems

This week, the International Conference on Pulses for Health, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture in Drylands takes place in Morocco. ILRI and ICARDA scientists from the Livestock and Fish program are sharing experiences on the opportunities and limitations of multidimensional crop improvement in grain legumes to support increased productivity in mixed crop-livestock systems. Continue reading

Climate-smart sustainable intensification: a business strategy for small cattle farmers in Central America
Animal Feeding / Capacity Development / Capacity Strengthening / Cattle / Central America / CIAT / Climate Change / Crop-Livestock / Extension / Feeds / Gender / Intensification / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Markets / Nicaragua / Value Chains

Climate-smart sustainable intensification: a business strategy for small cattle farmers in Central America

Silvopastoral systems provide a broad range of environmental and productive benefits. The presence of trees in farm plots stabilizes hillsides, minimizes erosion, improves the soil’s water retention and nutrient balance, and provides feed and shade for cattle. These practices generate higher milk and meat yields while contributing to the resilience of production systems in the face of climate variability, which is manifesting in increasingly extreme ways in Central America. Continue reading

Animal Feeding / Crop-Livestock / Feeds / HUMIDTROPICSCRP / ILRI / Livestock / Pigs / PIL / Research / Southeast Asia / Value Chains / Vietnam

Pig and maize value chains in northwest Vietnam: Trends and opportunities for smallholders

This research brief provides some insights into the pork and maize value chains in northwest Vietnam, highlighting the collaboration taking place between business partners in response to the lack of public support services for pig and maize production, processing and marketing. Continue reading

Animal Feeding / Asia / Feeds / ILRI / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Markets / Pigs / PIL / Southeast Asia / Value Chains / Vietnam

‘Base of the Pyramid’ initiatives in the feed industry: targeting smallholder animal farmers in Vietnam

Would ‘Base of the Pyramid’ (BoP) marketing work in agricultural input markets? Here are some insights from the pig value chain in Vietnam, uncovered during a field trip of the REVALTER project. Continue reading

Africa / Animal Breeding / Animal Feeding / East Africa / Ethiopia / Feeds / Genetics / ICARDA / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Value Chains

Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia review successes and challenges in sheep fattening

Selected participant farmers drawn from community-based breeding programs in Doyogena, Horro, Menz and Bonga sites are gearing up to undertake phase 2 of their sheep fattening project that runs from 15 January to 15 April 2016. Continue reading