CGIAR Initiative on Livestock and Climate
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/114642
LCSR aims to directly enable 600,000 producers (at least 40% women) in nine countries to better prepare for and manage uncertain futures by improving security of access to resources and adopting management practices that enhance their climate-related adaptive capacities (livestock assets) while ensuring household equity and reducing GHGe intensities.
Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Resilient Agrifood Systems
Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Resilient Agrifood Systems
Primary CGIAR impact area: Climate adaptation and mitigation
https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/34-livestock-climate-and-system-resilience/
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Editorial: Sustainable and resilient food systems in times of crises(Journal Item, 2025-02-11) Ben Hassen, Tarek; El Bilali, Hamid; Daher, Bassel; Burkart, StefanThe global food system is facing multiple and multifaceted challenges and crises: increasing population, climate change, pandemics, conflicts, economic shocks, and natural disasters. These challenges have exposed its fragility and underscored the urgency of transitioning to sustainable and resilient food systems. Such systems ensure equitable access to nutritious food, minimize environmental impacts, and enhance resilience against shocks. In crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the vulnerabilities of the global food system have become starkly apparent, leading to disruptions in supply chains, food shortages, and inflation. Additionally, climate change and natural disasters further threaten food security worldwide. This Research Topic explores innovative approaches—including agroecological practices, circular economies, and localized food systems—to build resilience and sustainability. To provide a comprehensive understanding of these pressing issues, the 17 articles of this Research Topic are organized into four thematic areas: the impacts of crises on food systems, the effects of COVID-19 on food systems, sustainable food systems and practices, and the social, economic, and waste management dimensions of food systems.Item Chemodiversity and antimicrobial activities of Eucalyptus spp. essential oils(Journal Article, 2024-08-06) Ammar, Hajer; M’Rabe, Yassine; Hassan, Sawsan; Chahine, Mireille; de Haro Marti, Mario; Soufan, Walid; Andres, Sonia; López Puente, Secundino; Hosni, KarimThe essential oils extracted from the leaves of five Eucalyptus species: E. astringens, E. camaldulensis, E. lehmannii, E. leucoxylon, and E. sideroxylon, were investigated for their antimicrobial properties. These species were growing in the same plantation area, exposed to identical conditions, and subjected to uniform agronomic practices. Processed and analyzed under consistent parameters, the essential oil yields ranged from 0.14 to 0.96% (w/w). Chromatographic analysis were resolved into 48 compounds, with 11 common to all oils. Terpenoids (oxygenated mono- and sesquiterpenes) dominated the oil profiles, constituting 55.66–76.67% of the composition. Major components identified included 1,8-cineole (21.97–50.93%), α-pinene (2.18–15.95%), p-cymene (0.83–15.94%), spathulenol (0–20.49%), globulol (4.09–14.26%), and aromadendrene (2.37–15.03%). Genetically driven interspecific variation in composition was observed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and heatmap clustering. Moreover, distinctive components were identified for each essential oil, offering a valuable tool for discriminating between Eucalyptus species and ensuring authentication and quality control in commercial samples. Results from antimicrobial disc-diffusion assays indicated robust antimicrobial activity in all essential oils, with those derived from E. camaldulensis, E. lehmannii, and E. leucoxylon exhibiting the highest effectiveness.Item TreeEyed: A QGIS plugin for tree monitoring in silvopastoral systems using state of the art AI models(Journal Article, 2025-01-29) Ruiz-Hurtado, Andres Felipe; Bolaños, Juliana Perez; Arrechea-Castillo, Darwin Alexis; Cardoso, Juan AndresTree monitoring is a challenging task due to the labour-intensive and time-consuming data collection methods required. We present TreeEyed, a QGIS plugin designed to facilitate the monitoring of trees using remote sensing RGB imagery and artificial intelligence models. The plugin offers several tools including tree inference process for tree segmentation and detection. This tool was implemented to facilitate the manipulation and processing of Geographical Information System (GIS) data from different sources, allowing multi-resolution, variable extent, and generating results in a standard GIS format (georeferenced raster and vector). Additional options like postprocessing, dataset generation, and data validation are also incorporated.Item A positive deviance approach to understand gender relations and practices that support transformative adaptation: Insights from Kenya dairy households(Journal Article, 2025-02-08) Bullock, Renee; DuttaGupta, Tanaya; Miriti, PhilipThe impacts of climate change on livelihoods and livestock systems in East Africa are significant. Efforts to bolster resilience will require a concerted focus on social equity to foster transformative adaptation. We integrate a feminist lens in a positive deviance approach to better understand gender relations in dairy producing communities in Kenya. We make theoretical and methodological contributions and suggest practical application to support locally led scaling approaches. Data was collected through 20 sex disaggregated focus group discussions (FGDs) and 10 key informant interviews (KII) with a total of 199 research participants. We focus on women's and men's participation in decision-making to assess gendered agency and labor in households, dairy specific activities, and the uptake of climate innovations. Evaluating these relations provides a better understanding of equity in dairy producing households who are at the forefront of climate adaptation. Women's and men's practices vary, and, through a positive deviance inquiry, we find the common patterns in those practices to characterize the referent group using thematic analyses. Our empirical findings demonstrate that referent group norms, relations and practices are, by and large, inequitable in agency and labor in dairy households underpinned by social norms. Positive deviant practices occur at differential rates in diverse geographies. We extended the concept of positive deviance to a relevant and urgent development agenda, transformative adaptation, that, to support resilience, must address root causes of vulnerability. We advocate for increased efforts to utilize positive deviance in future climate adaptation studies to inform practical and locally led strategies.Item Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region(Journal Article, 2025-02-02) Tegegne, Getachew; Alemayehu, Sintayehu; Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh; Gebre, Liyuneh; Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe; Tesfaye, Lidya; Abdulhamid, NumeryThe pastoral areas of Ethiopia are facing a recurrent drought crisis that significantly affects the availability of water resources for communities dependent on livestock. Despite the urgent need for effective drought early warning systems, Ethiopia’s pastoral areas have limited capacities to monitor variations in the intensity–duration–frequency of droughts. This study intends to drive drought intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves that account for climate-model uncertainty and spatial variability, with the goal of enhancing water resources management in Borana, Ethiopia. To achieve this, the study employed quantile delta mapping to bias-correct outputs from five climate models. A novel multi-model ensemble approach, known as spatiotemporal reliability ensemble averaging, was utilized to combine climate-model outputs, exploiting the strengths of each model while discounting their weaknesses. The Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI) was used to quantify meteorological (3-month SPEI), agricultural (6-month SPEI), and hydrological (12-month SPEI) droughts. Overall, the analysis of historical (1990–2014) and projected (2025–2049, 2050–2074, and 2075–2099) periods revealed that climate change significantly exacerbates drought conditions across all three systems, with changes in drought being more pronounced than changes in mean precipitation. A prevailing rise in droughts’ IDF features is linked to an anticipated decline in precipitation and an increase in temperature. From the derived drought IDF curves, projections for 2025–2049 and 2050–2074 indicate a significant rise in hydrological drought occurrences, while the historical and 2075–2099 periods demonstrate greater vulnerability in meteorological and agricultural systems. While the frequency of hydrological droughts is projected to decrease between 2075 and 2099 as their duration increases, the periods from 2025 to 2049 and from 2050 to 2074 are expected to experience more intense hydrological droughts. Generally, the findings underscore the critical need for timely interventions to mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with drought, particularly in areas like Borana that depend heavily on water resources availability.Item Enabling Sustainable Livestock Development: ‘CLEANED’ tool effectively supports Environmental Impact Assessments across 34 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.(Case Study, 2025) Notenbaert, An; Mwema, Emmanuel; Gonzalez, Ricardo; Van Der Hoek, Ringenerus; Isiaho, Glarion; Ewell, HannaBy generating evidence of environmental footprints, our impact-assessment tool ‘CLEANED’ improves sustainable livestock enterprise planning. Numerous trainings/workshops have taught the next users (researchers, livestock-industry stakeholders, educators, and policy advisors) how to use CLEANED effectively. Several CLEANED assessments have been conducted (of which 20 have been documented), presented to, and discussed with decision-makers at different levels throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This has led to greater environmental awareness and environmentally-sensitive planning of livestock interventions.Item Impact of index insurance on downside income risk: Evidence from northern Kenya(Journal Article, 2025-01-19) Shikuku, Kelvin Mashisia; Ochenje, IbrahimWe assessed the impact of index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) on household income and its higher-order moments (i.e., variance and skewness). The study uses four waves of panel survey data from northern Kenya and applies a two stage least squares (2SLS) instrumental variables regression to estimate the causal impacts. We found that uptake of IBLI increased household income and reduced pastoralists' exposure to downside risk. Our results imply that policies and investments promoting the scaling of index insurance will be effective for climate risk management and welfare improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa by increasing income and reducing exposure to downside risk.Item Unleashing strategies to mitigate methane emissions in rice fields and livestock system(Journal Article, 2024-12-02) Joseph-Fernando, Ezhilmathi Angela; Selvaraj, Michael; Arango, JacoboItem Artificial intelligence in science and society: The vision of USERN(Journal Article, 2025-01-01) Dorigo, Tommaso; Brown, Gary D.; Casonato, Carlo; Cerdà, Artemi; Ciarrochi, Joseph; da Lio, Mauro; D’Souza, Nicole; Gauger, Nicolas R.; Hayes, Steven C.; Hofmann, Stefan G.; Johansson, Robert; Liwicki, Marcus; Lotte, Fabien; Nieto, Juan J.; Olivato, Giulia; Parnes, Peter; Perry, George; Plebe, Alice; Rao, Idupulapati; Rezaei, Nima; Sandin, Fredrik; Ustyuzhanin, Andrey; Vallortigara, Giorgio; Vischia, Pietro; Yazdanpanah, NiloufarThe recent rise in relevance and diffusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based systems and the increasing number and power of applications of AI methods invites a profound reflection on the impact. The Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), an organization that promotes initiatives to support interdisciplinary science and education across borders and actively works to improve science policy, collects here the vision of its Advisory Board members, together with a selection of AI experts, to summarize how we see developments in this exciting technology impacting science and society in the foreseeable future. In this review, we first attempt to establish clear definitions of intelligence and consciousness, then provide an overview of AI’s state of the art and its applications. A discussion of the implications, opportunities, and liabilities of the diffusion of AI for research in a few representative fields of science follows this. Finally, we address the potential risks of AI to modern society, suggest strategies for mitigating those risks, and present our conclusions and recommendationsItem Livestock as a Climate Solution at COP29(Report, 2024-12-30) Cramer, Laura; Flintan, Fiona E.Item The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) data of 54,873 farm households in 35 countries(Dataset, 2024-12-23) Gorman, Léo; Hammond, James; Frelat, Romain; Caulfield, Mark; van Wijk, MarkHere we release the Rural Household Multi-Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) dataset, derived from the open-source RHoMIS toolkit. RHoMIS is designed to simplify the collection, analysis, and dissemination of interoperable data from farm-household surveys. This release harmonizes 54,873 household observations spanning 35 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia into a single dataset, collected between 2015 and 2023. The data supports the investigation of system dynamics relating to food production, food security, and pathways out of poverty for smallholder farmers. This dataset is an update and revision of the previous RHoMIS dataset, published in 2020. In this new release we present a database quadruple the size, with observations of 54,873 households from 35 countries and 119 unique projects, collected from 2015 until 2023. These data are accompanied with radically improved analytical routines to process the data and calculate common performance indicators. We report 1599 variables and 41 farm household level indicators, as well as crop-level information (production, area planted, use of the produce, and sale value). We also report gendered decision-making information over the consumption of produced foodstuffs and over the incomes derived from on- and off-farm activitiesItem Global updated rangeland ecosystem climate change projections through 2050, using evaluated parameters and CMIP6 climate forecasts(Brief, 2024-12-26) Hussein, Jaabir; Thornton, Philip K.; Sircely, JasonClimate change in rangelands creates uncertainty that hinders the long-term direction of research, land management, agricultural production and policy formulation. The updated rangeland ecosystem projections under climate change use the most recent global climate forecasts (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project CMIP6) with evaluated model parameters for the G-Range global rangeland simulation model to project how rangeland ecosystems may change through 2050. The spatial dataset produced includes several fundamental attributes of rangeland ecosystems, specifically net primary productivity, soil carbon, cover of grass, shrubs, trees and bare soil, and root:shoot ratio on a decadal basis. G-Range was driven by climate inputs produced using MarkSimGCM, specifically CMIP6 from 2001 to 2050, and historical data from 2001 to 2020. These outputs are used as inputs to other models and analyses, or for national to global scale estimates of rangeland ecosystem status, structure and function under climate change, with significant implications for research, land management, agricultural production and policy formulation and implementation.Item Livestock and Climate Change: Outlook for a more sustainable and equitable future(Report, 2024-12-25) Thornton, Philip K.; Wollenberg, Eva K.; Cramer, LauraThe livestock sector will need to simultaneously meet future consumer demand while supporting net zero targets by 2050, survive increasing frequency and severity of climate change hazards, and achieve outcomes for water, biodiversity, social resilience and economic development. 2. Climate change therefore requires a new trajectory for the development of the livestock sector. The economic role of livestock may shift significantly, and we need to anticipate a just transition of livestock farmers to other livelihood activities. 3. Trends in livestock demand and supply under climate change are likely to become more uncertain and equity and productivity gaps are likely to intensify in the coming decades. Although industrialised systems can better invest in the feed and adaptations and mitigation measures needed under climate change than smallholders’ systems, livestock are critical for smallholders’ livelihoods and food security, and we need to anticipate the wider range of interventions that may be needed to increase resilience in such systems. 4. Future livestock and climate development needs to be planned and implemented in a cross-sectoral way. The multi-dimensional importance of livestock to the livelihoods of at least 1.3 billion people globally has not yet been reflected in development or climate assistance, research focus or the data landscape. 5. Under climate change, there are no one-size-fits-all policy and technological responses, nor are there any silver bullets. There are multiple, often competing discourses around the climate-livestock-livelihood nexus and responses need to be appropriate for local contexts while contributing to national and global targets. 6. Many management options are available to help livestock farmers in lower-income countries adapt to climate change, including diversification of livestock species and breeds; integration of livestock with forestry, crop and aquaculture production; improving livestock diets; modifying animal health and heat stress management strategies; and changing the timing and location of farm operations. 7. Institutional, policy and technological opportunities for increasing livestock farmers’ adaptive capacity include preserving livestock mobility traditions in pastoral lands; assistance with destocking and restocking before and after drought; developing new product markets to satisfy consumer demand; promoting wider use of index-based insurance products and other risk transfer mechanisms; and enhancing farmers’ effective use of extension information using social media and digital platforms. 8. The viability of options to adapt and increase adaptive capacity is highly dependent on local contexts that are often characterized by capital, land and labour constraints and limited accessibility and knowledge. And in the face of longer-term climate change, the limits to the effectiveness of such options are often unknown. 9. Additional management options are available to help livestock farmers in lower-income countries mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon, including intensified production with fewer animal numbers, managing herd composition, shifting to lower-emission types of livestock, silvopastoralism, grassland restoration, avoided burning of grasslands, and low-emission breed selection. Along the supply chain, more efficient and renewable energy in the cold chain is a major option for mitigation. While additional measures such as feed additives, manure management or alternative proteins also can reduce methane, these technologies are not yet available, affordable or relevant to many lower-income farmers. Vaccines and manipulation of the rumen microbiome are promising technologies for the future.Item Global updated rangeland ecosystem climate change projections through 2050, using evaluated parameters and CMIP6 climate forecasts(Brief, 2024-12-29) Hussein, Jason; Thornton, Philip K.Climate change in rangelands creates uncertainty that hinders the long-term direction of research, land management, agricultural production and policy formulation. The updated rangeland ecosystem projections under climate change use the most recent global climate forecasts (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project CMIP6) with evaluated model parameters for the G-Range global rangeland simulation model to project how rangeland ecosystems may change through 2050. The spatial dataset produced includes several fundamental attributes of rangeland ecosystems, specifically net primary productivity, soil carbon, cover of grass, shrubs, trees and bare soil, and root:shoot ratio on a decadal basis. G-Range was driven by climate inputs produced using MarkSimGCM, specifically CMIP6 from 2001 to 2050, and historical data from 2001 to 2020. These outputs are used as inputs to other models and analyses, or for national to global scale estimates of rangeland ecosystem status, structure and function under climate change, with significant implications for research, land management, agricultural production and policy formulation and implementation.Item Expanding the use and impact of the CLEANED tool for assessing environmental impact assessments of livestock enterprises(Brief, 2024-12-30) Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; van der Hoek, Rein; Mwema, Emmanuel; González, Ricardo; Cardoso, Juan AndrésCLEANED, an acronym for Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment for improved Nutrition, a secured Environment and sustainable Development along livestock value chains, is a multi-dimensional modelling tool designed to produce rapid environmental impact assessments in mixed crop-livestock farming systems in developing countries. The use of CLEANED has been expanded and further developed under the Initiative on Livestock and Climate through three pathways. In Pathway 1, training events and workshops were conducted to teach new users how to use it effectively. In Pathway 2, more assessments were conducted using the tool to promote wider uptake in specific countries. In Pathway 3, the tool has been updated and improved.Item Scaling resilience through use of co-designed radio programs in Baringo County, Kenya(Brief, 2024-12-01) Bullock, Renee; Majiwa, Hamilton; Saalu, Faith; Mundia, Julius; Mugi, Reginah; Ojulong, Henry; Mutai, Samuel; Peter, Akeno; Kukat, Lilian; Aturoit, Irene; Mossop, John; Kanyakera, JacobIn the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya, livestock keeping has been a cornerstone of livelihoods for centuries and, while it continues to be relevant, in recent decades landscape changes and climate related shocks and stresses are compounding increasing pressures in most livestock dependent households and communities. As the incidence of droughts and uncertain rain increases, finding pasture and water has become more difficult. Subsequently rates of food insecurity and precarity are rising. Pastoralists and agro-pastoralists are seeking knowledge on climate adaptation and are implementing innovative practices to better cope with changing realities that shape many aspects of their daily life. Diversification into food and crop production is one option that can support increased resilience to climate shocks. While maize is a commonly grown crop across Kenya, farmers in drylands often encounter challenges during production, primarily stemming from poor harvests caused by the crop’s vulnerability to harsh climatic conditions, leading to crop failure. On the other hand, drought tolerant crops (DTCs) perform well under low rainfall conditions and support livelihoods in many arid and semi-arid locations, as experience in lower eastern counties has shown. Widely considered to be “women’s” crops, DTCs such as sorghum and millet often rely disproportionately on women’s labor inputs. Women are typically responsible for most stages of their production including planting, weeding, harvesting and postharvest management, such as threshing, winnowing and storage. However, decision-making about production — including consumption and selling — may not always be in the hands of women. Men assume control over harvests and this decision-making power can increase with commercialization of these crops. Efforts to address these inequitable relations and behaviors include socio-technical bundling that combines technical information about climate smartItem Dataset for Tier 1 and 2 methodologies for estimating intake and enteric methane emission factors from smallholder cattle systems in Africa: A case study from Ethiopia(Dataset, 2024-12-24) Balcha, Endale; Ndung'u, Phyllis Wanjungu; Getahun, Daniel; Graham, Michael; Marquardt, Svenja; Mulat, Daniel Girma; Merbold, Lutz; Wilkes, Andreas; Worku, Tigist; Gakige, Jesse; Arndt, ClaudiaThese datasets include enteric methane emission factors derived using the Common Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (‘CSIRO’) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 methods. The activity data collected includes the live weight (LW) measurements of cattle in 113 smallholder farms from different agro-ecological zones collected between February 2020 to January 2021 i.e., five LW measurements at months 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, live weight change for different periods, body condition scoring and physiological status referred here as "Activity data". The animal performance data together with feed quality data were used to predict the energy requirements of the animals. The animals were grouped by age and sex; adult females (>3 years), adult males (intact and castrates) (> 3 years), heifers (1-3 years), young Males (1-3years), and calves (both sexes, <1year). Estimation of daily methane production (DMP) conducted by programming the equations for ‘CSIRO’ and IPCC Tier 2 methods in Microsoft Excel. The estimations for individuals were made on a seasonal basis. The weighted average of seasonal DMPs was multiplied by 365 to obtain the annual emission factor of enteric methane production. Feed basket and digestibility calculated_NorthShewa_Ethiopia_2020 to 2021contain information on feedstuffs available and their contribution to feed baskets per agroecological zones in North Shewa. It also shows the average dry matter digestibility for each season. Milk quality data North Shewa_Ethiopia_2020 to 2021 contains information on seasonal milk quality of milk analyzed on pooled milk samples at the household level. Milk yield data North Shewa_Ethiopia_2010 to 2021 contains information on the daily milk yield of lactating cows recorded by farmers on a daily basis. Supplementary material North Shewa Ethiopia contains results in tabular form and figures to support the justification of findings. Table S1: Seasonal mean live weights change (LWC, g/day) of different classes of cattle: (females, males (intact and castrates), heifers, young males, and calves) from two agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of North Shewa zone, Ethiopia; Table S2: Net energy requirement (MJ/head/day) of different classes of cattle from IPCC Tier 2 methodology in the North Shewa zone, Ethiopia; Table S3: Maintenance energy requirement (MJ/head/day) of the different classes of cattle from ‘CSIRO’ Tier 2 methodology in the North Shewa zone, Ethiopia; Figure S1-S6: Plot of live weight versus emission factors for different cattle sub-categories for ‘CSIRO’ and IPCC Tier 2 methodologies.Item Supporting collaborative action for sustainable solutions: Locally-led adaptation as a policy instrument for climate change adaptation practices(Brief, 2024-12-30) Habermann, Birgit; Crane, Todd A.The urgency of developing climate change adaptation practices that work for smallholder farmers and herders has never been greater. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other key climate change organizations highlight the importance of research and development for locally-led adaptation (LLA) and transdisciplinary collaboration. Such an approach to adaptation promises to find climate solutions that are effective in smallholder producers’ complex environmental and socioeconomic realities and support producers as agents of change. The urgency for innovative extension and scaling pathways is compounded by the widespread degradation in African public agricultural extension services. However, despite the urgency and the widespread interest, there are few established methodologies designed to support policymakers to engage with LLA through transdisciplinary collaboration in a robust, coherent and consistent way that considers climate justice and inclusiveness. This calls for innovative toolItem Reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production(Brief, 2024-12-24) Frija, Aymen; Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; Yigezu, Yigezu Atnafe; Alary, Veronique; Mannai, AmaiLivestock production takes up approximately 77% of the world’s agricultural land, or about 3.4 billion hectares, primarily for feed production. This extensive land use represents a significant opportunity cost, as it could otherwise be used to conserve biodiversity, such as wetlands and forests, produce cash and food crops or sequester carbon. Current use limits the potential for preserving different biomes and enhancing biodiversity, leading to land degradation due to overgrazing and poor nutrient or fertilizer management. Additionally, livestock production is water-intensive and a major source of water pollution caused by run-off from fertilizers, pesticides and animal waste. As a result, livestock is considered a significant contributor to global environmental degradation, impacting climate change, land and soil health, water resources and biodiversity and altering the nutrient cycles to the detriment of ecosystem wealth at the landscape level. Livestock farming poses significant environmental challenges, creating negative feedback loops with climate change that affect mitigation and adaptation efforts. Overgrazing damages the land, leading to poor soil quality and reduced productivity (Asner et al. 2004), while pasture expansion contributes to deforestation, destroying habitats and exacerbating climate change (Pendrill et al. 2019). Recent estimates suggest that livestock production accounts for approximately 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a reduction from previous estimates of 14.5% (Poore and Nemecek 2018). In 2015, livestock agri-food systems emitted around 6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, with projections indicating that emissions could rise to nearly 9 billion tonnes by 2050 without significant interventions (FAO 2023). Agriculture contributes 40% of the global human-caused methane emissions, of which the largest part (32%) comes from manure and enteric fermentation from livestock (CCAC and UNEP 2021). Due to population and income growth, the demand for livestock is expected to increase by up to 70% by 2050 (Ranganathan 2018), which, unabated, will increase methane emissions proportionally. This environmental footprint creates negative feedback loops with climate change, affecting mitigation and adaptation efforts. Deteriorating environmental health increases the vulnerability of livestock production and societies to climate change, limiting adaptation options and reducing overall productivity, which further drives up greenhouse gas emission intensities. As global demand for animal products rises, the environmental footprint of livestock is expected to grow, worsening these challenges. Reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production is critical to achieving global climate goals and mitigating the severe impacts of climate change and for maintaining the livelihoods of 1.7 billion people and 60% of rural households in developing countries. To address these challengeItem CIRNA project inception meetings held in Uganda and Kenya(Blog Post, 2024-12-22) Wanyama, Ibrahim; Leitner, Sonja; Slater, AnnabelThis blog post summarizes the inception meetings held for the CIRNA project at national and district level in Kenya and Uganda.