Today's science and development issues are complex, often involving multiple international players, yet demanding local solutions. Increasingly, many acknowledge that such local solutions can best be summed up and communicated by showing local people talking in their own surroundings, especially in a world where few outside the research communities have the time or expertise to assess raw data. In this setting, science and development documentaries fill a vital role.The film department at ILRI (the International Livestock Research Institute) therefore aims to widen understanding of important topics that face pro-poor agricultural research in livestock issues, so removing one stumbling-block to the quick up-take of new technologies among those who could benefit most.
Chickens have been central to global food security for a long time. Readily available, cheap, and easy to feed and transport, chickens are kept by hundreds of millions of the world’s poor. But with few resources, the local scavenging birds these farmers raise grow slowly, produce few eggs, and are susceptible to diseases, so most poor farmers cannot use them to improve their incomes. More small-scale chicken keepers need to have access to improved production methods to take advantage of the gl...
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a highly contagious disease that affects cattle throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the most serious livestock diseases with greatest impacts in pastoralist areas. Up to 15% of infected animals die: milk yields of infected cows drop by up to 90%: meat production is reduced, and infected draught oxen are less able to work. Existing vaccines have side effects and give limited protection. Research is underway at the International Livesto...
Jemimah Njuki is a specialist in issues related to women and gender in agriculture. In this short film she explains her belief that farm animals could be one way for poor women to make money, feed their families better and educate their children. "Owning animal assets gives women power" says Njuki, ... and this gives women a voice ... and when women become equal partners, everyone benefits!"
This short film introduces some of the people, hosted institutions and facilities at the ILRI Nairobi campus.
This short film introduces some of the people, hosted institutions and facilities at the ILRI Addis Ababa campus.
Today's global population of 7 billion is predicted to expand to more than 9 billion by 2050. Will that more crowded world be able to produce enough food for everyone? And should livestock be part of evolving food security plans? In this 26 minute seminar, Mario Herrero, agro-ecological systems analyst at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) says that “the future lies in what we do with the world’s resources”, and concludes “livestock science will be fundamental to deliver the...
The promise of abundant milk and meat drives many poor African farmers to spend scarce money on imported cattle breeds. However, under the harsh conditions of Africa’s smallholder farms, these exotic breeds generally perform poorly. New breeding technologies promise to improve this situation, and generate a breeding pool of affordable, hardy and productive cattle breeds suitable for African farmers.
There is more livestock diversity in Africa than on any other continent. Some indigenous breeds of cattle, goats and sheep are disease resistant, and others can withstand feed and water shortages. But most are less productive than some imported breeds and so do not meet farmers' needs. Millions of poor livestock keepers are importing animals, or cross-breeding their local animals with imported breeds to get more productive livestock. But imported breeds need expensive care because they are muc...
Il existe plus de diversité du bétail domestique en Afrique que sur tout autre continent. Certaines races indigènes de bovins, de chèvres et de moutons sont résistantes à des maladies et d'autres races peuvent résister à des déficits d’apport d’aliments et d'eau. Mais la plupart de ces races sont moins productives que celles qui et donc ne satisfont pas aux besoins des agriculteurs. Des millions d’éleveurs pauvres ont recours a l’importation d’animaux ou au croisement entre leurs races locales...
Telling science stories can difficult. Filming stories about livestock science can be particularly challenging. Cows may 'moo' so loudly that researchers can’t hear themselves talk. Biting safari ants may run up people’s legs. And microphones may stop working just as VIPs start to make their presentations. This film shares some of such ILRI 'bloopers', edited over the last 3 years in a (probably) inconsequential attempt to forewarn future interviewees of the various risks involved in filming l...
