Scientist and Policy makers discuss low emission livestock development in West and Central Africa

Scientist and Policy makers discuss low emission livestock development in West and Central Africa

Ms. Birthe Paul, Farming Systems Scientist at CIAT Africa’s Tropical Forages Program, in a plenary session presentation at the high level meeting highlighted the key role of improved livestock feeding and tropical forages in reducing livestock emission intensities, showcasing on-the-ground work in Benin and DR Congo, as well as Green House Gas (GHG) emission modeling capacities at CIAT. 

The meeting dubbed  “Low emissions livestock: supporting policy through science in West and Central Africa took place in Dakar, Senegal  bringing together nearly 60 senior government officials, policy and science representatives working in the livestock and related sectors from 22 countries in West and Central Africa. It was organized by the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA), together with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank, and was hosted by the Senegalese Institute for Agriculture Research (ISRA).

The workshop aimed at  i) Discussing countries’ ambitions for livestock development and climate change to understand the challenges; ii) Showcasing relevant ongoing work of the organizations that is focused on improving the efficiency of livestock production, reducing GHG emissions and enhancing resilience, whilst strengthening national measurement, reporting and verification (MRV);  iii) Understanding how science underpins this work, by supporting countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to climate action.

It is hoped that the outputs of this workshop will contribute to increasing understanding and awareness of low emission livestock, while establishing new science and policy partnerships. The main opportunities for an Africa-wide low emission livestock research and policy program included national capacity building on GHG emission reporting (moving to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC Tier 2), as well as quantifying the impact of improved livestock technologies such as forages towards meeting countries’ pledges under the NDCs.

Birthe Paul from CIAT Africa  presents on activities related to improved forages, forage management and feed availability for low emissions livestock systems.

By: Rosemary Nzuki.