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Market access for livestock products from Africa has traditionally been limited by the presence of certain infectious diseases that pose risks to animal and human health. However, an increasingly discussed option for widening that access is commodity-based trade (CBT) focusing on the health and safety attributes of the product rather than the disease status of the country of origin. There have, however, been few analyses on the potential economic impacts and unintended consequences of such an approach. This article examines the principles behind a dramatic shift in approach to trading opportunities that CBT might bring, exploring both technical and economic considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Ethiopia is Africa's largest livestock producer, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) barriers and animal diseases have traditionally constrained market access. A system dynamics model examined the feasibility of a proposed SPS certification system under a number of scenarios. Model results indicate that the system may not be viable for beef exports to Middle Eastern markets. However, the binding constraint is high domestic input costs rather than the costs of SPS compliance. Sensitivity analyses reveal that while investments in feed efficiency and animal productivity would enhance Ethiopia's export competitiveness, the competitive nature of international beef markets may still prevent market access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Beware of Boldness," by Conrad C. Crane in the summer 2006 issue.

The article discusses developments in the Arctic region. Due to the commercial sector's exploits of the Arctic's rich supplies of fossil fuels and other resources, the authors see people streaming into the area. They highlight the initiatives of Arctic states to control resources and mitigate risks in the region. They stress the importance of a partnership between the U.S. and other Arctic stakeholders. The authors suggest leveraging existing governance structures to expand international regulation and networking.

Background :  This paper describes a pilot study undertaken in 2018, to determine the key data needs of each of the different Ethiopian dairy sector stakeholder groups.  The study aimed to characterise the emerging trends of dairy product production, processing, retailing and consumption in Ethiopia, and to identify and characterise current and future data needs of different stakeholders. Methods :  The study undertook a mapping of the interactions between different stakeholders in the dairy sector, and an interactive evaluation of the institutional data repository and access options.  Focus group discussions and interviews were held in three regions of the country prior to a two-day workshop in the capital Addis Ababa.  Data needs were characterised by type, availability, format, level of detail, methods of dissemination, uptake and use, and the institutional arrangement, including the different roles of public and private sectors in decision making processes. Results :  The study highlighted the main data needs and identified several broader institutional issues constraining the further development of the Ethiopian dairy sector.  The stakeholder groups endorsed the reactivation of a national dairy board, independent of government but closely incorporating government, and with the buy-in and membership of private sector enterprises, including producers, processers, service providers and consumers, to provide clearer facilitative leadership on the dairy industry. Conclusions :  The study workshop provided a timely discussion between diverse stakeholders, including government, and several potential organisations were suggested to host and manage a national dairy database. Importantly, the reactivation of a national dairy board was strongly endorsed.  It was recommended that stakeholder links be established, sector-specific data needs be elevated to higher detail, and a national roll out of herd-specific data recording schemes was called for, to allow for effective evidence-based policies and decision making., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Perry BD et al.)

Background :  This paper describes a pilot study undertaken in 2018, to determine the key data needs of each of the different Ethiopian dairy sector stakeholder groups.  The study aimed to characterise the emerging trends of dairy product production, processing, retailing and consumption in Ethiopia, and to identify and characterise current and future data needs of different stakeholders. Methods :  The study undertook a mapping of the interactions between different stakeholders in the dairy sector, and an interactive evaluation of the institutional data repository and access options.  Focus group discussions and interviews were held in three regions of the country prior to a two-day workshop in the capital Addis Ababa.  Data needs were characterised by type, availability, format, level of detail, methods of dissemination, uptake and use, and the institutional arrangement, including the different roles of public and private sectors in decision making processes. Results :  The study highlighted the main data needs and identified several broader institutional issues constraining the further development of the Ethiopian dairy sector.  The stakeholder groups endorsed the reactivation of a national dairy board, independent of government but closely incorporating government, and with the buy-in and membership of private sector enterprises, including producers, processers, service providers and consumers, to provide clearer facilitative leadership on the dairy industry. Conclusions :  The study workshop provided a timely discussion between diverse stakeholders, including government, and several potential organisations were suggested to host and manage a national dairy database. Importantly, the reactivation of a national dairy board was strongly endorsed.  It was recommended that stakeholder links be established, sector-specific data needs be elevated to higher detail, and a national roll out of herd-specific data recording schemes was called for, to allow for effective evidence-based policies and decision making., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Perry BD et al.)

Africa bears the brunt of many of the world's most devastating human and animal infectious diseases, a good number of which have no licensed or effective vaccines available. The continent's potential to generate novel interventions against these global health threats is however largely untapped. Strengthening Africa's vaccine research and development (R&D) sector could accelerate discovery, development and deployment of effective countermeasures against locally prevalent infectious diseases, many of which are neglected and have the capacity to spread to new geographical settings. Here, we review Africa's human and veterinary vaccine R&D sectors and identify key areas that should be prioritized for investment, and synergies that could be exploited from Africa's veterinary vaccine industry, which is surprisingly strong and has close parallels with human vaccine R&D., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2018 Warimwe GM et al.)