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African livestock production systems are not homogenous, and taking a one-size-fits-all approach to emissions reduction will not work. The global community needs to be more nuanced in our approach to transitioning to sustainable, low-emitting, and climate-resilient livestock on the continent.
With global climate talks increasingly acknowledging food and agriculture as a critical component, the livestock industry and diets that include animal-source foods find themselves in the crosshairs of the debate.
Animal agriculture is estimated to be responsible for some 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 44% of which are methane.
The tendency is to treat all forms of livestock production as equally responsible for these emissions, although there is some evidence that global calculations may overestimate the contribution from livestock in Africa and underestimate the potential benefits for nutrition, livelihoods, and biodiversity.
As the recently appointed director general of the International Livestock Research Institute, I see a very different livestock debate playing out in which countries weigh up how best to unlock the many possibilities that livestock can offer for sustainable development across the continent.
While the United States, European Union, and other high-income regions are focused on reducing livestock numbers and consumption to reduce emissions, policymakers in Africa I’ve spoken with are more concerned with getting more milk per dairy cow before farmers can reduce herd sizes.
A transition toward more productive and sustainable livestock cannot happen overnight or even in a few years. Given the diversity of Africa’s livestock sector, it will likely take some 10 to 15 years and require long-term investment in research and innovation.
But the transition is feasible if research institutes, governments, and development partners can match the right solutions with each production system. This work is already taking place, with a new $24 million “innovation sprint” launched as part of AIM for Climate to uncover viable ways to achieve both emission reductions and climate adaptation within the livestock sector.
Significant progress has already been made in semi-intensive systems, which purposefully manage and incorporate optimum livestock breeds with trees and forages. Systems like these have been found to generate lower levels of both methane and nitrous oxide compared to traditional systems. In this case, the greatest sustainability gains would come via improved forages with additional environmental benefits.
For example, Koronivia grass, which is native to Africa, has been found to increase soil carbon by 15% while also reducing nitrous oxide emissions from grazing cattle by a factor of 10, offsetting the emissions involved in cattle production. For farmers to start using this grass to feed cattle, it first needs to be widely produced and reach markets at scale, which requires investment and incentives for the private sector.
Next are the mixed farming systems, which combine crop and animal agriculture and have the potential to double up on sustainability gains. Farmers could benefit from recent breakthroughs in breeding more sustainable and climate-resilient animals in these systems.
Advances in livestock genetics make it possible to breed more productive and resilient chickens, sheep, and goats in Ethiopia that are better suited to higher temperatures. Not only does this mean livestock puts a lower burden on the environment, but it also means they can continue to contribute to arable farming, for example, by providing manure.
Finally, the greatest potential for a climate-smart transition is found within pastoral systems, which are among the most exposed to the impacts of climate change.
Pastoralists produce more than half of the continent’s meat and milk, often on marginal land where crops cannot grow. Yet these extensive, nomadic systems are hardest hit by extreme climate impacts, such as more frequent and severe droughts across the Horn of Africa.
Innovations such as bespoke insurance, known as index-based livestock insurance, which pays out whenever forage levels are affected by drought, can provide a safety net that sustains pastoralists and allows them to adapt to new conditions. Improved financial support could also complement efforts to equip pastoralists to protect biodiversity and restore degraded lands. Such insurance schemes have benefitted farmers in Kenya and Ethiopia but must now be fine-tuned to have a greater impact and reach across the continent.
Climate action can take many forms to achieve multiple goals worldwide, from reducing emissions and adapting to new levels of unpredictability to delivering climate justice. Sustainable livestock production offers a multitude of solutions to Africa’s unique climate challenges.
By embracing regional and production differences, climate negotiators can clear the way for greater climate finance and support for livestock initiatives and policies, allowing Africa to meet climate goals without sacrificing food security and economic development.