livestock

This report by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) shows that the introduction of improved forage varieties of the Brachiaria genus is a climate-friendly way to close the gap in the availability of livestock and dairy products in Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors assess the potential economic impact of the development and release of such varieties in six East African countries is using an economic surplus model. »

This article presents a study, performed by Scientists at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Kenya. It challenged the estimates of greenhouse gasses from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). According to the study, the emissions of African livestock are two times lower then IPCC suggest. »

This literature review provides a holistic perspective of the stock and interaction between the capitals required by men and women farmers for effective engagement in agricultural intensification in Ethiopia. Although land reform has enhanced women’s access to land, participation in decision-making and asset control are yet to be achieved. »

This booklet by CGIAR shows how advanced inventory methods (Tier 2) can support climate change and productivity goals and help broaden countries’ policy options. Livestock development and climate change outcomes can support each other. More productive and efficient farm systems generally produce food at much lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of product. However, many countries use simple (Tier 1) methods for estimating livestock emissions in their GHG inventories. »

This review focuses on livestock-related climate smart agriculture options in West Africa looking at herd management, feed, grazing management, animal breeding strategies, manure management, and policy options. Recent analysis suggests that developing world regions contribute about two thirds of the global emissions from ruminants, with sub- Saharan Africa a global hotspot for emissions intensities, largely due to low animal productivity, poor animal health and low quality feeds. »

In this paper in the Agricultural Systems Journal, the authors provide climate smart agriculture (CSA) planners and implementers at all levels with a generic framework for evaluating and prioritising potential interventions. This entails an iterative process of mapping out recommendation domains, assessing adoption potential and estimating impacts. Through examples, related to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa, each of the steps is demonstrated and how they are interlinked. »