Introducing ILRI’s 2026 Corporate Report: Advancing Sustainable Livestock 

06 July 2026, Tanzania: What does it look like when livestock science reaches the people who need it most? That’s the story told in the 2026 corporate report published by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) earlier this week.  

ILRI is advancing toward its bold goal to impact the lives of more than 300 million people, recognizing that for them and millions more, animals—goats, sheep, cows, chickens, pigs and more—are not just a source of food. They are savings accounts, insurance policies, and in many cases pathways out of poverty.  

The institute’s 2026 corporate report shows that the science is working and that partnerships are delivering. Farmers in Ethiopia are navigating a changing climate, a young entrepreneur in Tanzania is building a poultry business from scratch, scientists in Kenya are helping the country track and report antimicrobial resistance.  

At the same time, these stories illustrate what is at stake when funding and support for agricultural research and development is shrinking at the very moment when it’s needed the most. 

Innovating for sustainable livestock systems  

In close collaboration with partners, ILRI pilots and scales innovations that farmers and pastoralists need to make the most out of livestock.  

Climate innovations boost productivity, reduce emissions, and build resilience. Entrepreneurship innovations break down barriers and enable women and youth to seize profitable, attractive opportunities in the livestock sector, while digital innovations combine community knowledge with scientific evidence to deliver the critical information that livestock keepers need to succeed in the face of climate change.  

• In Ethiopia, ILRI and its partners have used radio programs and mobile voice messages in local languages to reach more than 130,000 farmers, delivering timely information on production and use of climate-smart feed and forage innovations.  
• Across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal, ILRI-supported digital advisories, climate forecasts, and decision-support systems have now reached 1.5 million farmers and livestock keepers—almost a third of them women.
• In Tanzania, a young entrepreneur has used the knowledge and skills she gained from an ILRI-backed training program to turn 510 chicks and 12 bags of chick feed into 2.4 million Tanzanian shillings (USD 900).  

Influencing policies and investments  

ILRI’s evidence-based advocacy has changed the global narrative about livestock for the better—just as trusted partnerships, long-term engagement, and earned access to decision-making spaces has enabled ILRI to influence pro-livestock policies and investments.  

At global and regional levels, ILRI and its allies have campaigned for the nutritional benefits of meat and milk and for fair sharing of benefits from digital genetic resources. At national levels, ILRI researchers produce the evidence decision makers need to lead livestock transformation.  

• ILRI has changed the livestock narrative, championing evidence that milk, meat, and eggs provide essential nutrition for millions and that livestock systems can mitigate climate change and build resilience.    
• In Madagascar, ILRI and its partners have worked with the government to develop a national livestock master plan, built on rigorous analysis, costed roadmaps, and a USD 400 million investment plan to attract funds to a sector that underpins the livelihoods of millions of people.
• In Vietnam, dozens of pork vendors have adopted improved hygiene practices following an ILRI-supported training program, just as 21 slaughterhouses in six provinces are using raised stainless-steel grids that keep carcasses off the ground and other innovations to improve food safety.  
• In Ethiopia, ILRI is accompanying national authorities in their efforts to transform the food system—including by providing scientific expertise and support to a livestock and fisheries investment guide, a dairy sector platform, and a monitoring framework.  

Building purpose-driven alliances  

To advance sustainable livestock, the right people need to have the right skills—and to be in the same room and pulling in the same direction. 

By combining science, partnerships, and training, ILRI is supporting countries to respond to climate change, food insecurity, animal disease, and antimicrobial resistance. Likewise, events and platforms that build diverse coalitions—across science, development, private sector, and policy—serve to transform scientific advancements into real-world impact.  

• Through integrated laboratory, field, and modelling systems, ILRI’s Mazingira Centre helps African countries to more accurately report on their greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, using locally measured data, and set achievable mitigation targets.  
• Furnishing eight national veterinary investigation laboratories with better equipment and training animal health officials across 18 counties, ILRI has boosted Kenyan authorities’ capacity to monitor antimicrobial resistance and submit high-quality data into global databases that guide coordinated responses to this growing challenge.  
•  By investing in convening, researching, and capacity strengthening, ILRI has helped ensure that African climate negotiators are equipped with the technical evidence and coordination they needed to effectively articulate their priorities in global fora.  

Explore all the stories in ILRI’s 2026 corporate report.

ILRI would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund. 

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