For the third time, leading academics from the University of Edinburgh (the Roslin Institute) and the Earlham Institute worked with collaborators in Kenya (Egerton University and KALRO), Malawi (LUANAR and the Ministry of Livestock) and Tanzania (TALRI) to deliver the 2022 GCRF-STARS training at the Nelson Mandela African Institution for Science and Technology (NM-AIST).
As in previous years, the training focused on ‘increasing research skills and capacity to support the implementation of national livestock development plans.’ The two previous training sessions were held in 2018 and 2019, respectively in Ethiopia and in Kenya.
Since the inaugural activities in 2018, the CTLGH GCRF-STARS programme has engaged and supported over forty livestock scientists from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. In addition, four scientists have further been supported through research placements in the UK and the Roslin Institute for additional learning and engagements for future collaborations.
To respond to earlier feedback on the course by the participants, CTLGH in 2019 engaged relevant partners to propose and led the design and establishment of the African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet). AABNet is now an established African organisation contributing to the sustainable transformation of the African livestock systems through genetic improvement.
We are grateful for the outstanding support and contributions from many colleagues at Edinburgh University (Andrea Wilson, James Prendergast, Andrea Talenti, Gregor Gorjanc, Ivan Pocrnic, Isidore Houaga, Jen Meikle, and Appolinaire Djikeng) and at the Earlham Institute (Rob Davey).
We are grateful for the financial support that was provided by UKRI/BBSRC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).