African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies book launch: protecting Africa’s livestock diversity
The open-access book titled "African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies: Unlocking a Treasure Trove and Guide for Improved Productivity" will officially be launched on 20 February 2026 at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Nairobi campus and online.
This book is an initiative of ILRI in collaboration with the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) and the African Union–Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and hosted by the African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet).
The launch will bring together policymakers, researchers, livestock experts and development partners to highlight the book’s findings and discuss how Africa’s livestock genetic resources can support productivity, resilience and climate adaptation.
About the book
Africa is home to the world’s richest diversity of cattle and goats, and the second highest diversity of sheep, chickens, rabbits, and donkeys. Over generations, these breeds have developed traits that help them survive heat, disease, scarce feed and other challenges, making them central to food security and livelihoods across the continent.
Many of these breeds are at risk due to uncontrolled crossbreeding and genetic erosion, and scientific knowledge about them is scattered. This book brings together decades of research from 83 contributors across 24 countries, offering a clear picture of African livestock genetic resources, practical breeding strategies, and the institutional support needed to sustain them.
Why the book matters
Livestock are key to African diets, economies and rural resilience, but productivity remains low in many systems. Low productivity drives higher emissions per unit of milk, meat, or eggs and limits the benefits farmers can gain.
The book highlights how breeding strategies that match local production systems can improve efficiency, support climate adaptation, and conserve the continent’s unique genetic resources. It shows why conserving diversity and improving productivity must go hand in hand and provides practical lessons across species from cattle and small ruminants to pigs, poultry and working animals.