Developing a monitoring and evaluation process for the Livestock and Fish program

A Livestock and Fish CGIAR Research Program Theory of Change (ToC) training workshop was held on 9-12 February 2015 in Nairobi. The workshop aimed to ensure a common understanding of theories of change and how they can be used for planning, critical reflection and accountability. It also aimed to develop change pathways for projects in the smallholder dairy value chain in Tanzania and the small ruminants value chain in Ethiopia. Continue reading →

How the Livestock and Fish program selects project sites in its focus countries

Catherine Pfeifer explains the three-step process used by the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish to select project sites.
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Modeling environmental impacts of forage technologies in crop-livestock systems in Tanzania

The CIAT-led project ‘Sustainable Intensification of Crop-livestock Systems through Improved Forages’, funded by the USAID Linkage program with the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish aims to assess environmental impacts of tropical forage technologies. Continue reading →

Researchers and partners critique framework to assess environmental impacts of livestock

For the past year, researchers from the International Livestock Research Institute, other research institutes and national partners have been working on a framework to carry out a ‘Comprehensive Livestock Environment Assessment for Improved Nutrition, a Secured Environment and Sustainable Development along Livestock Value Chains.’ On 30 and 31 October, the project team met in Kenya to review progress and the state of the framework. Continue reading →

Aquculture – Minimizing environmental impacts, encouraging sustainable growth

The world’s appetite for fish is steadily growing. Finfish and shellfish currently make up one-sixth of the animal protein people consume globally. Aquaculture—or fish farming—has grown rapidly to meet world fish demand, more than doubling production between 2000 and 2012. New research shows that aquaculture production will need to more than double again between now and 2050 to meet the demands of a growing population. Continue reading →

Webinar – improving the productivity and environmental performance of aquaculture

On World Environment Day (June 5), join a webinar when the World Resources Institute (WRI), WorldFish, the World Bank, INRA, and Kasetsart University will release the newest installment of the 2013–14 World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future, “Improving Productivity and Environmental Performance of Aquaculture.” Continue reading →

Towards a comprehensive livestock environment assessment framework – East Africa consultation

Following the rapid increasing demand for animal source foods propelling livestock production, particularly in many less developed countries where the pressure on natural resources is mounting, the need for a pragmatic tool to assess environmental impacts is greater than ever. Earlier this year the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) funded an 18-month project called … Continue reading →

Keith Child joins the Livestock and Fish program to work on impact assessment and learning

In June 2013, Keith Child joined the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish as a principal scientist working on impact assessment and learning. In his position, Keith will provide strategic guidance to the monitoring, evaluation and learning systems within the program. His challenge is to help the program, which aims to consolidate research into … Continue reading →

Balancing livestock roles: Key actions to improve livestock systems

This article in the journal Animal reviews the positive and negative roles of livestock in the developing world. Authored by several ILRI staff, the paper also discusses ‘key factors that are likely to determine the future contribution of the sector to food security, environmental protection and economic growth.’ It proposes actions for improving different aspects … Continue reading →

What, how and who, Livestock and Fish targeting component specifies deliverables

A team of scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), WorldFish and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) on 4-5 December 2012 met to set out plans for the program’s ‘targeting and environment component’. This was the first meeting of  this team … Continue reading →