International Livestock Research Institute

Their core work

ILRI is a Nairobi-based international research centre focused on improving livestock systems across Africa and the developing world. Their core work spans animal disease control (particularly transboundary diseases like African Swine Fever and Bluetongue), sustainable agriculture practices, and building research infrastructure for veterinary science in African contexts. They serve as a critical bridge between European research networks and African field realities — providing on-the-ground expertise in livestock epidemiology, biocontainment, and nitrogen cycling in African agricultural systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ILRI's early H2020 work (2015-2018) focused on broad capacity-building: biobanking infrastructure between Europe and Africa, ecosystem biodiversity research, and establishing veterinary biocontainment networks. From 2017 onward, their portfolio shifted decisively toward applied animal disease problems — Bluetongue epidemiology, African Swine Fever vaccine development, and DIVA diagnostics. Their most recent project (INSA, 2020) signals a new direction into environmental science, specifically nitrogen cycling across African ecosystems.

ILRI is moving from general EU-Africa research cooperation toward targeted disease control solutions and environmental monitoring, suggesting growing applied expertise that could serve vaccine developers and agri-environment programmes.

How they like to work

ILRI participates exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — across all 8 H2020 projects, indicating they bring specialist field expertise to consortia led by European institutions. With 119 unique partners across 43 countries, they are remarkably well-networked for their project count, functioning as a connector node between European and African research communities. Their consortia tend to be large and multi-country, which reflects their role as the Africa-based anchor in intercontinental research programmes.

Exceptionally broad network for their project volume: 119 unique partners across 43 countries, reflecting their role as a gateway between European and African research institutions. Their geographic spread suggests they are a go-to partner when consortia need credible African field capacity.

What sets them apart

ILRI occupies a rare niche as a Kenya-based international research centre with deep integration into European research networks. For any consortium needing African livestock expertise, field trial capacity, or on-the-ground validation of agricultural technologies, ILRI is one of very few organisations that can deliver both scientific rigour and African operational reach. Their combination of veterinary disease expertise and EU-Africa bridging capability is difficult to replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• VACDIVA
  Largest EC contribution (EUR 309,573) and addresses African Swine Fever — one of the most economically devastating livestock diseases globally, with no approved vaccine yet.
• InnovAfrica
  Highest single-project funding at EUR 705,000, focused on scaling sustainable agriculture innovations across Africa — their most substantial financial commitment in H2020.
• VetBioNet
  Longest-running project (2017-2023), providing BSL3 biocontainment infrastructure access — positions ILRI within Europe's top veterinary research facility network.