Livestock sustainability research in Africa with a focus on the environment

Balehegn, Mulubrhan; Kebreab, E.; Tolera, Adugna; Hunt, Sarah; Erickson, Polly; Crane, Todd A.; Adesogan, A.T.

doi:10.1093/af/vfab034

Cited by 47 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Most current projections of the CH 4 mitigation potential from livestock in SSA rely on modelled data, which may be constrained by limited data for African systems (87). Further research on economically feasible and locally appropriate mitigation options should be prioritized for important livestock systems in SSA (66,88).…”

Section: Discussion and Future Directions Enteric Ch 4 Emissions-pros...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Research Progress on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa Falls Short of National Inventory Ambitions

et al. 2022

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Livestock are an important source of livelihoods in agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), while also being the largest source of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in most African countries. As a consequence, there is a critical need for data on livestock GHG sources and sinks to develop national inventories, as well as conduct baseline measurements and intervention testing to mitigate GHG emissions and meet ambitious national climate goals. Our objective was to review studies on GHG emissions from livestock systems in SSA, as well as soil carbon storage in livestock-dominated systems (i.e., grasslands and rangelands), to evaluate best current data and suggest future research priorities. To this end, we compiled studies from SSA that determined emission factors (EFs) for enteric methane and manure emissions, along with studies on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in SSA. We found that there has been limited research on livestock GHG emissions and SOC relative to national ambitions for climate change mitigation in SSA. Enteric methane emission factors (EFs) in low productivity cattle systems may be lower than IPCC Tier 1 default EFs, whereas small ruminants (i.e. sheep and goats) had higher EFs compared to IPCC Tier 1 EFs. Manure EFs were equal to or lower than IPCC Tier 1 EFs for deposited manure (while grazing), manure applied as fertilizer, and manure management. SOC stocks for grasslands and rangelands in SSA show broad agreement with IPCC estimates, but there was a strong geographic bias and many studies did not report soil type, bulk density, or SOC stocks at >30 cm depth. In general, the largest data gaps included information for manure (quantity, quality, management), small ruminants, agropastoral/pastoralist systems, and in general from West Africa. Future research should focus on filling major data gaps on locally appropriate mitigation interventions and improving livestock activity data for developing Tier 2 GHG inventories in SSA. At the science-policy interface, all parties would benefit from enhanced coordination within the research community and between researchers and African governments to improve Tier 2 inventories and harmonize measurement for mitigation in livestock systems in SSA.

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Section: Discussion and Future Directions Enteric Ch 4 Emissions-pros...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Research Progress on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa Falls Short of National Inventory Ambitions

et al. 2022

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“…It contributes not only to food and nutrition security but also to economic growth by providing important foreign exchange through increased trade within and between African countries, as well as with other regions, such as the Middle East (6). Africa's livestock accounts for one third of the world's livestock population (3) and about 40% of agricultural GDP in Africa, ranging from 10 to 80% depending on the country (6).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…African livestock production already has a significant impact on the environment (10). More than 70% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Africa comes from the livestock sector, dominated by enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions (3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumer perception of “artificial meat” in the educated young and urban population of Africa

et al. 2023

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African’s population is expected to grow especially in cities to reach about 2.5 billion in 2050. This will create an unprecedented boom in the demand for animal products over the coming years which will need to be managed properly. Industry stakeholders worldwide have been touting the potential benefits of “artificial meat” in recent years as a more sustainable way of producing animal protein. “Artificial meat” is therefore moving into the global spotlight and this study aimed to investigate how African meat consumers of the coming generations perceive it, i.e., the urban, more educated and younger consumers. Three surveys were conducted with more than 12,000 respondents in total. The respondents came from 12 different countries (Cameroon, Congo, -DRC Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal South Africa, Tanzania and Tunisia). Respondents in this survey prefered the term “artificial meat”. This term was therefore used throughout the survey. “Artificial meat” proved to be fairly well known in the surveyed countries as about 64% the respondents had already heard of “artificial meat.” Only 8.9% were definitely willing to try “artificial meat” (score of 5 on a scale of 1–5) mostly males between 31 and 50 years of age. Furthermore, 31.2% strongly agreed that “artificial meat” will have a negative impact on the rural life (score of 5 on a scale of 1–5) and 32.9% were not prepared to accept “artificial meat” as a viable alternative in the future but were still prepared to eat meat alternatives. Of all the results, we observed significant differences in responses between respondents’ countries of origin, age and education level with interactions between these factors for willingness to try. For instance, the richest and most educated countries that were surveyed tended to be more willing to try “artificial meat.” A similar pattern was observed for willingness to pay, except that gender had no significant effect and age had only a small effect. One major observation is that a large majority of respondents are not willing to pay more for “artificial meat” than for meat from livestock.

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“…Animal products hold vital nutritional, cultural and economic value in Ethiopia. Ethiopia's livestock sector is expected to expand, driven by a rising demand for animal proteins due to population growth and dietary shifts, reflecting wider trends in Africa (Balehegn et al., 2021; Enahoro et al., 2019). Livestock health is upheld via veterinary services and community providers in the country.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of livestock farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the use of veterinary vaccines in Southwest Ethiopia

Robi,

Bogale,

Temteme

et al. 2023

Veterinary Medicine & Sci

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BackgroundThe utilization of veterinary vaccines plays a vital role in preventing and managing animal diseases. However, the success of vaccination programmes relies on livestock farmers’ understanding, perspectives and behaviours regarding their application. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of livestock farmers in Southwest Ethiopia regarding the use of veterinary vaccines.MethodsThe study followed a cross‐sectional design conducted between October 2021 and October 2022. A sample of 476 livestock‐owning farmers, including those who raise dairy cattle, beef cattle and poultry, were interviewed from the districts of Shei Bench, Semen Bench, Sheko and Yeki.ResultsThe findings revealed that participants from Sheko, who had a poultry farm, were college graduates and resided in an urban area, were more likely to have good knowledge of veterinary vaccines. Similarly, participants who were male, from Semen Bench, had a poultry farm and had a high school education, exhibited a positive attitude towards veterinary vaccines. Furthermore, being male, from Semen Bench, having a poultry farm, and having a high school education were associated with increased veterinary vaccine use.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of addressing gender differences and tailoring interventions based on geography and farming conditions in the area. These measures are crucial to improve practices related to veterinary vaccines for enhanced animal health and productivity. Prioritizing education, veterinary services and information dissemination is vital. However, further research and targeted interventions are needed to better comprehend underlying factors and implement effective strategies for diverse communities in different areas.

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Livestock sustainability research in Africa with a focus on the environment

Cited by 47 publications

References 43 publications

Research Progress on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa Falls Short of National Inventory Ambitions

Research Progress on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa Falls Short of National Inventory Ambitions

Consumer perception of “artificial meat” in the educated young and urban population of Africa

Evaluation of livestock farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the use of veterinary vaccines in Southwest Ethiopia

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