In the face of growing global food insecurity, poultry is emerging as a powerful tool to boost nutrition and incomes—especially in low-resource communities across Africa and beyond.
At the heart of this transformation is a state-of-the-art poultry research facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, run by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Established in 2018, this is CGIAR’s only dedicated poultry research facility, created through a robust partnership with the University of Edinburgh, the Roslin Foundation, and global science backers like the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The aim? To turn scientific knowledge into practical solutions that directly benefit farmers.
🐔 Chickens as Catalysts for Change
“Chickens are more than just food—they are a gateway to nutrition security and economic empowerment,” says Dr. Wondmeneh Esatu, animal geneticist at ILRI. “This facility builds on years of research and partnerships to develop poultry breeds that work for smallholder farmers.”
From poultry genetics and health to optimized feed strategies, the facility is a Centre of Excellence pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in poultry science.
🔬 Real Science, Real Solutions
Designed to replicate both controlled environments and real-life smallholder conditions, the facility features:
- Indoor research units with 20 pens housing up to 4,000 chickens
- An incubation and hatching lab
- Four 400-square-metre outdoor fields, simulating semi-scavenging conditions typical of small farms
This allows researchers to test and validate solutions under both laboratory and real-world conditions.
🌍 Training the Next Generation
Open to students, scientists, and the private sector, the facility also serves as a training ground for future poultry experts. “It’s not just about ILRI’s goals,” says Olivier Hanotte, geneticist at ILRI. “We’re building a broader scientific community ready to tackle poultry challenges with practical, scalable innovations.”
As the world looks for sustainable ways to feed its growing population, facilities like this are paving the way—one feather at a time.
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