India smallholder dairy value chain: Trends, status and likely future directions

Posted on 29 April 2014 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

The Livestock and Fish program’s India smallholder dairy value chain situation analysis report was published in early 2014. It assesses the conditions within which the dairy value chains in India operate, and sets out a broader national context for the rapid and in-depth dairy value chain assessments and analysis at site or small geographical scales through subsequent research activities. It provides an overview of past trends, current status and the likely future directions in dairy value chains in India – as well as the states of Assam and Bihar, and identifies the underlying challenges and opportunities faced by different actors in the value chains. Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Feeding / Aquaculture / CGIAR / Egypt / Feeds / Fish / LIVESTOCK-FISH / North Africa / Report / Value Chains / WorldFish

Value chain analysis of the Egyptian aquaculture feed industry

Posted on 28 April 2014 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

This WorldFish study aims to assess the status of the fish feed sector in Egypt, with an emphasis on: mapping and understanding fish feed value chains, describing the main actors and stakeholders within the chain, assessing value chain performance, identifying major strengths and weakness of the sector, and suggesting appropriate actions, management and development strategies. Continue reading →

ASSP / HUMIDTROPICSCRP / ILRI / Innovation Systems / Livestock / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Report / Value Chains

Monitoring and evaluating innovation platforms in livestock value chains

Posted on 1 March 2014 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

In recent years, innovation platforms have been promoted as mechanisms to stimulate and support multistakeholder collaboration in the context of research for development. They are recognized as having the potential to link value chain actors, and enhance communication and collaboration to overcome market failures. This paper sets out a monitoring and evaluation framework to understand and assess the performance of innovation platforms in the context of pro-poor value chains. Continue reading →

Africa / ASSP / East Africa / ILRI / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Pigs / Report / Uganda / Value Chains

Uganda smallholder pigs value chain: Trends, status and likely future directions

Posted on 10 January 2014 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI)

The Livestock and Fish program’s Uganda smallholder pig value chain situation analysis report was published in late 2013. It assesses the conditions within which the pig value chains in Uganda operate, and sets out a broader national context for the rapid and in-depth pig value chain assessments and analysis at site or small geographical scales through subsequent research activities. It provides an overview of past trends, current status and the likely future directions in pig value chains in Uganda, and identifies the underlying challenges and opportunities faced by different actors in the smallholder pig production value chains. Continue reading →

Africa / Aquaculture / Egypt / LIVESTOCK-FISH / North Africa / Report / WorldFish

Egyptian aquaculture thrives during political turmoil

Posted on 27 November 2013 by Holly Holmes • Leave a comment

Despite the recent political unrest that has affected much of the country, Egyptian aquaculture is a great success story. Production reached almost one million tons in 2011, representing an average consumption of about one fish per person per week. A recent report for the project “Improving Employment and Income through the Development of Egypt’s Aquaculture … Continue reading →

CGIAR / Gender / ILRI / LIVESTOCK-FISH / PIL / Report / Women

Livestock and fish gender strategy adopts transformative and accommodating approaches

Posted on 1 August 2013 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

The program’s gender strategy was formally approved by the CGIAR consortium with effect from May 2, 2013 There is growing recognition of the need to integrate gender in agricultural research and development initiatives. However, questions remain about how to do so to accomplish desired development outcomes. To increase the productivity, equity and inclusiveness of livestock … Continue reading →

CGIAR / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Report / Research

More meat, milk and fish by and for the poor – Livestock Fish program reports on its first year

Posted on 30 April 2013 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Aquaculture / Fish / Genetics / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Report / WorldFish

Multiplying and disseminating improved fish breeds to farmers

Posted on 31 December 2012 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

A new working paper from WorldFish argues that the availability of genetically more productive fish stock “must progress hand in hand” with refinements in the production systems in which the fish will reared and marketed. The authors indicate there is much “documented evidence about the success of selective breeding in several species,” however they argue … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Feeding / Crop-Livestock / East Africa / Ethiopia / Feeds / Forages / ICARDA / ILRI / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Report

Ethiopia livestock feeds project tests tools to guide feed interventions

Posted on 15 September 2012 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

On May 28-29, 2012 the Ethiopian Livestock Feeds Project held a synthesis workshop at ILRI in Addis Ababa. The project team, including the core partners from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and the Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, had been working together to refine various tools including FEAST, Techfit and a simple value chain … Continue reading →

Africa / Aquaculture / Climate Change / East Africa / Fish / LIVESTOCK-FISH / Report / Uganda / Value Chains / WorldFish

Fish value chains in Uganda – The impacts of climate change and variability

Posted on 6 July 2012 by Peter Ballantyne (ILRI) • Leave a comment

Fish are a significant source of income and food security in Uganda, highly vulnerable to climate and non-climate related drivers of change. This working paper from the WorldFish Center examines the vulnerability of the fish sector in Uganda as it relates to the predicted impacts from climate change and variability, using the concept of the … Continue reading →