ILRI News

Innovation, capacity building and partnerships to combat a deadly African cattle disease are in the news. This month, ILRI's East Coast fever research is featured in two top journals – Science and the Journal of International Development. On 1 July 2005, America's leading scientific journal Science reported on the genome sequencing of a deadly parasite, Theileria parva, which causes East Coast fever (ECF), an infectious tick-borne disease that kills two cows every minute in Africa. This ground-breaking research was led by scientists at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi Kenya, and The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), based in the USA. In addition to advancing research into parasitic livestock diseases, this research will also be valuable to scientists studying human malaria and cancers. The ECF project is also of great interest to international development practitioners and policymakers. An article published in the July edition of the Journal of International Development by James Smith of Edinburgh University uses the ECF project as a case study example of how institutional research and development is changing. The old model 'technology-led' projects, often criticised for failing to deliver effective and affordable products downstream, is being replaced with  new model partnerships that have innovation and capacity building built in and that aim to deliver demand-led products of benefit to the poor in developing countries. Smith describes the ECF project as 'a potentially new model of… research and development partnership' which is an example of “a more ‘complete’ approach to innovation”. The ECF project has many partners and a very clear product focus. The project builds capacity in new ways, as those involved are forced to break out of their traditional boundaries. Scientists who were interviewed felt the project was encouraging them to think in new ways – like farmers and like businesspeople. There are many examples of 'good' technologies still sitting on shelves because scientists failed to consider the needs and circumstances of the end users of the technologies, such as whether the product would be accessible and affordable to farmers. International development professionals and donors are becoming increasingly focused on capacity building, partnerships, innovation systems and, ultimately, the delivery of tangible results, including products, as integral parts of R&D activity. There is a shift away from projects that could be described as 'research for the sake of research' to demand-led research, operated by many partners as a collaborating network that accomplishes a specific goal. John McDermott, ILRI’s Deputy Director General – Research said: 'The ECF Project illustrates ILRI’s new modus operandi, which generates innovation through strategic partnerships. Each partner is doing what they are best at – with the shared goal of delivering an effective and affordable vaccine for East Coast fever that will ultimately benefit millions of small-scale farmers in Africa.' There are lessons to be learned and the ECF project experience looks likely to be scrutinised further to gain more insights into new ways of doing R&D for greater benefits to the world's poor. Smith concludes: 'The East Coast fever vaccine project does appear to offer a new approach to prioritizing research and design, building capacity, and eventually producing an efficacious product. It does appear, however, that the positive spin-offs from the approach may not have been pre-planned but that the approach was shaped by a combination of the contingencies of vaccine production and the realities of institutional R&D in Kenya. The trick will be to identify exactly what makes this approach successful…'.

Speaking after the conclusion of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles, the Commission for Africa spokesperson was upbeat. He said that although not all of the Commission's recommendations had been adopted, "70% is first class". Speaking after the conclusion of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles on Friday (8 July), Fola Adeola, of the Commission for Africa, was upbeat. He said that although not all of the Commission for Africa's recommendations had been adopted, "70% is first class". Nigeria's President, and Chair of the African Union, Olusegun Obasanjo was similarly upbeat and described the outcomes as a "success". The Commission for Africa had put forward powerful arguments for the critical need to build Africa’s institutes of higher education, and build science and technology (S&T) capacity through networks of centres of excellence. In March 2005 the Commission made two specific recommendations in this regard. The international community should commit in 2005 to provide: • US$500 million per annum over ten years to revitalise Africa’s institutions of higher education; and • Up to US$3 billion over 10 years to develop centres of excellence in science and technology, including African institutes of technology. (See Information Brief: Excerpts from the Commission for Africa March 2005 Report) The final communiqué from the G8 in Gleneagles contained broad statements of commitment, but few concrete details such as timelines and figures. Much of the recent focus has been on aid and debt relief for African countries – and the G8 announced a doubling of aid to Africa. According to The Economist.com (8 July), “Some poverty experts will be glad of a more measured pace of aid dispersal than previously proposed. The evidence that aid alleviates the misery of poor people in the developing world is at best mixed: dumping billions of dollars more into countries run by corrupt and/or incompetent governments may simply further entrench the dysfunctional institutions that have strangled African development for so long.” However, the increased aid deal does come with a proviso. In return, African countries have made a commitment to fight corruption and promote democracy and good governance. But what has this landmark Summit achieved for capacity building in science & technology and higher education? The G8 leaders have made a broad commitment to: “Helping develop skilled professionals for Africa's private and public sectors, through supporting networks of excellence between African's and other countries' institutions of higher education and centres of excellence in science and technology institutions.” SciDev’s editor, David Dixon is amongst those disappointed with the low profile given to S&T in the final communiqué and described it as “something of a damp squib”. He has produced a Checklist for Science in Africa, against which new proposals for S&T initiatives for Africa should be assessed. He recommends (an initial list of ten) key considerations including Think trade, not aid; and Think innovation, not science.

An 'explosion' in milk and meat consumption in developing countries is being predicted, which will, in turn, lead to an 'explosion' in demand for nutritious livestock feed. ILRI Director and economist Christopher Delgado, addressing 1,500 scientists at the 20th International Grassland Congress conference in Dublin this month, predicted an “explosion” in consumption of milk and meat in developing countries over the next 15 years, which, he says, is already causing a “livestock revolution”. This, ‘explosion’ will, in turn, create an ‘explosion’ in the demand for livestock feed in developing countries. Imports of livestock feeds are expected to grow exponentially to meet this demand, but it also presents opportunities for poor farmers to explore markets for ‘home-grown’ forages. ILRI researchers are assisting in the identification of grasses and legumes for tropical climates that have the greatest potential as nutritious feeds. Poor-quality feed and fluctuating feed supplies place huge constraints on livestock productivity in developing countries. Nutritious grasses, that are readily accessible and affordable, can play a key role in alleviating poverty. But, knowing which grasses best suit the particular climate and conditions is a prerequisite. At the Grassland Conference, ILRI and partners launched a new interactive decision support tool which will help growers in developing countries select the best forage grasses for their local environments. The new decision support tool has captured 50 years of documented knowledge on grasses and legumes for livestock food, suitable for tropical and subtropical climates. But this is not just a collection of papers. It has also captured decades of tacit knowledge – expertise and know-how – garnered from the world’s most experienced scientists in tropical forages, and made this available as a public resource. According to ILRI’s Forage Diversity Project Leader, Dr Jean Hanson “There are a diverse range of grasses that could be grown as new forage resources for livestock in the tropics. Growers need to know which grasses are going to be the most productive and most nutritious in relation to their particular environment and livestock. To a great extent, this software has removed much of the trial and error as it will help select the ‘best-bet’ options. Ultimately, this is going to be of great benefit to thousands of small farmers in developing countries." Tropical Forages Decision Support Tool The Tropical Forages Decision Support Tool has been developed by an international team of forage experts led by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization/Queensland Department of Primary Industry/University of Queensland, Australia, the Centro Internacional Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) with financial support from ACIAR (the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research), BMZ (Germany), DFID (UK). The new information and selection tool is available online at: http://www.tropicalforages.info/ ILRI undertakes a host of forage diversity activities, with the purpose of identifying tropical grasses and legumes that have greatest potential as nutritious livestock feed in developing countries.

ILRI director and economist Christopher Delgado says that Asia's abundance of labour makes aquaculture attractive for the region, where farmers are raising fish in abandoned ponds and ditches to sell at markets, thus earning them an income as well as helping them to feed their families. ILRI director and economist Christopher Delgado is quoted in the Des Moines Register newspaper this June. Dr. Delgado leads research on both fish and ruminant livestock revolutions at ILRI and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), based in Washington DC.

Des Moines Register (USA) article, 11 June 2005 – Indian scientist wins food prize

Research is allowing African farmers to overcome old problems and exploit new opportunities. The debate is raging on as to how best Africa can set itself on the road to growth and renewal, and whether blanket debt relief for all African countries is the best solution. African leaders recognise that agriculture is Africa’s engine for growth, and that there is a need to take a long-term view and build science and technology capacity within Africa to help Africans solve Africa’s problems. Top African scientist and Harvard Professor, Calestous Juma, speaking to BBC yesterday (7 July) said: “If all the aid from Live 8 was spent on agricultural colleges rather than relief, Ethiopia would not be in difficulties today.” “Helping to build scientific expertise will do for Africa what the invention of the electric guitar did for Bob Geldof." Dr Carlos Seré, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), said “I would urge that there is greater emphasis on building science and technology capacity in Africa. Agricultural research in Africa is producing robust returns of 35% and changing the lives of millions of Africans. Money wisely invested in science – building expertise in Africa for African problems – will reap long-term benefits that will help millions of poor people in Africa secure better health, education, and livelihoods." See below ILRI’s feature “Canadian and British Research Investments Pay Off for Africa” published in The Herald (Scotland), Friday 14 July 2005 (.p15).

Find out more about Canadian and British investments in agricultural research and development for Africa: CIDA President's remarks at an Africa-Canada-UK Exploration in early 2005 Africa and Canada Partnering in Science for Africa Africa and UK Partnering in Science for Africa What has the G8 done so far for Africa? Canada's contribution to the G8 Africa Action Plan