The Bridging The Gap (BTG) project has just produced its first series of vidcasts. you can view them using this link: BTG Vidcasts

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute, fever-causing viral disease that affects domestic animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels) and humans. RVF is most commonly associated with mosquito-borne epidemics during years of heavy rainfall.

The disease is caused by the RVF virus, a member of the genus Phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae. The disease was first reported among livestock by veterinary officers in Kenya in the early 1900s. How can this disease be identified? What should one do if they come accross suspecious livestock, any hotlines?, what are the economic impacts todate of this disease? Does it have a cure?, What precautions should one take? Let us together help control the spread of this disease by contributing to this section.

Recently in the UK, there has been negative press publicity on the issue of giving goats to African farmers as a means of livelihood improvement. It is claimed that goats do more harm than good: that the goat contributes to environmental degradation through overgrazing and subject poor farmers to unnecessary veterinary bills which further aggravate their poverty. In addition, it is claimed that the animals are subjected to unethical treatment (mainly zero grazing) which goes against the tenets of animal welfare.

Is it true that the goat does more harm than good? Are goats environmentally unsound and economically disastrous? Has your life been positively changed by receiving a goat? Has the goat had an impact on the lives of your project beneficiaries?

Put in word for the goat. Let us hear your views.

In July 2006, CAHNET was launched in Ethiopia at a colourful ceremony held in Addis Ababa. This marks an exciting moment in CAHNET's efforts to reach out to the livestock keepers in the Greater Horn of Africa. We look forward to hearing from you as you share your experiences on this forum. Ethiopia, welcome aboard.

The urgency to address the needs of livestock keeping communities in Eastern Africa has risen dramatically in the past few years, prompting national governments, NGOs, and international donors to explore high impact interventions for these people. Given the high dependency of livestock keepers’ family livelihoods on cash income from the sale of livestock and livestock products, institutional focus has been directed toward improving livestock market information, infrastructure and efficiency.

A reliable market information system creates transparency and a basis for the livestock keepers to make marketing decisions. An extensive review of the wide array of livestock market development activities in eastern Africa has revealed a lack of viable livestock market information systems to support decision making of traders, producers and policy makers. How is livestock marketing in your country done? What information systems have you put in place to make livestock market information easily available to farmers? You are welcome to share any other relevant information on this issue.