Livestock Fish Theme: Targeting Sustainable Development

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/16624

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Estimates of repeatability and heritability of methane production in sheep using portable accumulation chambers
(Journal Article, 2016) Goopy, John P.; Robinson, D.L.; Woodgate, R.T.; Donaldson, A.J.; Oddy, V.H.; Vercoe, P.E.; Hegarty, Roger S.
This study was designed to screen a large number of sheep to identify individuals with high and low methane (CH4) production, and to estimate repeatability and heritability of CH4 emissions in sheep, utilising portable accumulation chambers (PAC) designed for in-field use. Mature ewes (n = 710) selected from a research flock with known sires had their CH4 production over 1 h measured in PAC [CH4 (g1h)]. Individuals with High (n = 103) or Low (n = 104) CH4 (g1h), adjusted for liveweight (LW), were selected and re-measured on three occasions 1–4 months later, at another site with more abundant and better quality pasture. Mean of the selected (207) ewes CH4 (g1h) emissions were ~50% higher than at the first measurement site (0.66 g vs 0.42 g). LW was a significant correlate of CH4 production (r = 0.47). Correlations between CH4 (g1h) for the three PAC measurements at Site 2, before adjusting for LW ranged from 0.44 to 0.55. After adjusting for the effect of LW, repeatability was 0.33 at the first and 0.43 at the second site. The correlation between estimates of an animal’s emissions at the first and second sites, adjusted for LW, was 0.24. Initial CH4 production of the selected High group was 32% greater than the Low group (P < 0.0001). On re-measurement there was still a significant difference (9–15%, P < 0.006) between Low and High groups. The initial estimate of heritability of CH4 (g1h), based on variation between the ewes’ sires (0.13), was not maintained across the two sites. This may be due to genotype × environment interactions. We postulate that aspects of rumen physiology, which modulate CH4 production, could be expressed differently in different nutritional environments. Our results indicate that field use of PAC to screen sheep populations for CH4 production is both robust and repeatable. However, further investigations are required into the relationship between CH4 output of individual animals in PAC compared with the more controlled conditions in respiration chambers.
A framework for environmental ex-ante impact assessment of livestock value chains
(Conference Paper, 2014-10) Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; Lannerstad, Mats; Herrero, Mario; Fraval, Simon; Ran, Ylva; Paul, Birthe K.; Mugatha, Simon M.; Barron, Jennie; Morris, J.
Livestock and fish industries are a significant source of livelihoods and income globally. They are organised in complex market chains that employ at least 1.3 billion people globally and directly support the livelihoods of 600 million poor smallholder farmers in the developing world. Livestock and fish production, processing and marketing as well as the waste produced along the value chain also cause important environmental impacts. They include atmospheric and water pollution, global warming, soil degradation, water use and pollution and biodiversity loss. Efforts to maximize yields of milk and meat, and to „intensify‟ livestock and fish production, need to be balanced with long-term sustainability and overall efficiency. We must figure out how to produce, process and market livestock and fish in ways that work for individuals, communities and the planet alike. It is thus important to assess environmental impacts before embarking on large-scale development projects geared towards livestock production and aquaculture intensification and value chain transformation. Here we present a generic conceptual framework for environmental ex-ante impact assessment of livestock and fish value chains. It is taking into account all value chain components, different spatial and temporal scales and environmental impacts across different dimensions. The framework guides users through a step-wise procedure for assessing how interventions are likely to change the production system and value chain. Through providing rapid results and flagging the main environmental issues, it can support evidence-based discussions of alternative development pathways.
Testing the CLEANED framework in Lushoto, Tanzania
(Presentation, 2014-10-30) Lannerstad, Mats; Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; Ran, Ylva; Fraval, Simon; Paul, Birthe K.; Mugatha, Simon M.; Githoro, E.
Introducing the CLEANED framework for environmental ex-ante impact assessment of livestock value chains
(Presentation, 2014-10-30) Lannerstad, Mats; Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; Paul, Birthe K.; Fraval, Simon; Ran, Ylva; Morris, J.; Koge, J.; Mugatha, Simon M.; Githoro, E.; Barron, Jennie; Herrero, Mario
Introducing the CLEANED project
(Presentation, 2014-10-30) Lannerstad, Mats
A qualitative assessment of gender and irrigation technology in Kenya and Tanzania
(Journal Article, 2014-01) Njuki, Jemimah; Waithanji, Elizabeth M.; Sakwa, B.; Kariuki, Juliet B.; Mukewa, E.; Ngige, J.
Rural household economies dependent on rain-fed agriculture are increasingly turning to irrigation technology solutions to counter weather variability, and guard against low crop yields. Organizations too are using market-based approaches to disseminate technologies to smallholder farmers, and although women are among their target group, little is known of the extent to which these approaches are reaching and benefiting them. There is also scant evidence about the implications for crop choice and income management if these new irrigation technologies are used and controlled by women. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study undertaken in Tanzania and Kenya to examine women’s access to and ownership of irrigation pumps, and the implications on their ability to make major decisions on crop choices and use of income from irrigated crops. Results from sales monitoring data showed that less than 10 percent of the pumps are being purchased by women, and most of the major decisions on crop choices and income use continue to be made by men. These findings vary from type of crop, with men making major decisions concerning high-income crops such as tomatoes, and women commanding relatively more autonomy over crops such as leafy vegetables. The study recommends further research to find out whether market-based approaches on their own can guarantee women access to and ownership of technologies, and the specific measures that need to be taken by businesses to achieve the goal of reaching and benefiting women.
Reducing uncertainty in nitrogen budgets for African livestock systems
(Journal Article, 2014-10-01) Rufino, Mariana C.; Brandt, P.; Herrero, Mario; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus
Livestock is poorly represented in N budgets for the African continent although some studies have examined livestock-related N flows at different levels. Livestock plays an important role in N cycling and therefore on N budgets including livestock-related flows. This study reviews the literature on N budgets for Africa to identify factors contributing to uncertainties. Livestock densities are usually modelled because of the lack of observational spatial data. Even though feed availability and quality varies across seasons, most studies use constant livestock excretion rates, and excreta are usually assumed to be uniformly distributed onto the land. Major uncertainties originate in the fraction of manure managed, and emission factors which may not reflect the situation of Africa. N budgets use coarse assumptions on production, availability, and use of crop residues as livestock feed. No flows between croplands–livestock and rangelands reflect the lack of data. Joint efforts are needed for spatial data collection of livestock data, crowdsourcing appears to be a promising option. The focus of the assessment of N budgets must go beyond croplands to include livestock and crop–livestock flows. We propose a nested systems definition of livestock systems to link local, regional level, and continental level and to increase the usefulness of point measurements of N losses. Scientists working at all levels should generate data to calibrate process-based models. Measurements in the field should not only concentrate on greenhouse gas emissions, but need to include crop and livestock production measurements, soil stock changes and other N loss pathways such as leaching, run-off and volatilization to assess management practices and trade-offs. Compared to the research done in other continents on N flows in livestock systems, there are few data for Africa, and therefore concerted effort will be needed to generate sufficient data for modelling.
A feed-based typology of crop-livestock systems in Eastern Africa
(Poster Abstract, 2013-09) Paul, Birthe K.; Peters, Michael; Groot, Jeroen C.J.; Herrero, Mario; Tittonell, Pablo A.
Poster presented at Tropentag 2013, September 17 - 19, 2013, Stuttgart-Hohenheim
Climate change mitigation through livestock system transitions
(Journal Article, 2014-03-11) Havlík, Petr; Valin, Hugo; Herrero, Mario; Obersteiner, Michael; Schmid, Erwin; Rufino, Mariana C.; Mosnier, Aline; Thornton, Philip K.; Böttcher, Hannes; Conant, Richard T.; Frank, S.; Fritz, Steffen; Fuss, S.; Kraxner, Florian; Notenbaert, An Maria Omer
Livestock are responsible for 12% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable intensification of livestock production systems might become a key climate mitigation technology. However, livestock production systems vary substantially, making the implementation of climate mitigation policies a formidable challenge. Here, we provide results from an economic model using a detailed and high-resolution representation of livestock production systems. We project that by 2030 autonomous transitions toward more efficient systems would decrease emissions by 736 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (MtCO2e⋅y−1), mainly through avoided emissions from the conversion of 162 Mha of natural land. A moderate mitigation policy targeting emissions from both the agricultural and land-use change sectors with a carbon price of US$10 per tCO2e could lead to an abatement of 3,223 MtCO2e⋅y−1. Livestock system transitions would contribute 21% of the total abatement, intra- and interregional relocation of livestock production another 40%, and all other mechanisms would add 39%. A comparable abatement of 3,068 MtCO2e⋅y−1 could be achieved also with a policy targeting only emissions from land-use change. Stringent climate policies might lead to reductions in food availability of up to 200 kcal per capita per day globally. We find that mitigation policies targeting emissions from land-use change are 5 to 10 times more efficient—measured in “total abatement calorie cost”—than policies targeting emissions from livestock only. Thus, fostering transitions toward more productive livestock production systems in combination with climate policies targeting the land-use change appears to be the most efficient lever to deliver desirable climate and food availability outcomes.
CLEANED LVCs - Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment for Improved Nutrition, a Secured Environment and Sustainable Development along Livestock Value Chain
(Conference Paper, 2013) Lannerstad, Mats; Ran, Ylva
Livestock and global change: Emerging issues for sustainable food systems
(Journal Article, 2013-12-24) Herrero, Mario; Thornton, Philip K.
Introducing the CLEANED project ex-ante impact assessment framework
(Presentation, 2013-09-18) Lannerstad, Mats
Rapidly intensified beef production in Uruguay: Impacts on water-related ecosystem services
(Journal Article, 2013) Ran, Ylva; Deutsch, L.; Lannerstad, Mats; Heinke, J.
Livestock production is one of the fastest growing agricultural subsector globally. Expansion and intensification of animal production increase demand for natural resources. Sustainable intensification approaches are needed that limit pressure on often already scarce land and water resources. This paper quantifies water requirements in three Uruguayan beef production systems - extensive, mixed and intensive - and explores impacts on water-related ecosystem services. Mixed beef production systems were found to make most effective use of water. However, the shift from pastures in crop rotation towards continuous feed-crop cultivation decreases soil organic-matter contents, reducing soil water-holding capacity; this may result in lower agricultural yields and reduced resilience to droughts.
Sustainable intensification in agriculture: premises and policies
(Journal Article, 2013-07-05) Garnett, Tara; Appleby, M.C.; Balmford, A.; Bateman, I.J.; Benton, Tim G.; Bloomer, P.; Burlingame, B.; Dawkins, M.; Dolan, L.; Fraser, D.; Herrero, Mario; Hoffmann, I.; Smith, Pete; Thornton, Philip K.; Toulmin, C.; Vermeulen, Sonja J.; Godfray, H. Charles J.
Food security is high on the global policy agenda. Demand for food is increasing as populations grow and gain wealth to purchase more varied and resource-intensive diets. There is increased competition for land, water, energy, and other inputs into food production. Climate change poses challenges to agriculture, particularly in developing countries (1), and many current farming practices damage the environment and are a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG). In an increasingly globalized world, food insecurity in one region can have widespread political and economic ramifications (2).
Targeting sustainable interventions: 2012 Annual Report
(Report, 2013-06) CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish
Report on an ASARECA Workshop on Cage Aquaculture and the Environment, Jinja, Uganda, 14-15 March 2013
(Report, 2013-03-31) Beveridge, Malcolm C.M.
Beyond milk, meat, and eggs: Role of livestock in food and nutrition security
(Journal Article, 2013-01-01) Smith, Jimmy W.; Sones, Keith R.; Grace, Delia; MacMillan, Susan; Tarawali, Shirley A.; Herrero, Mario
Implications • Livestock contribute to food supply by converting low-value materials, inedible or unpalatable for people, into milk, meat, and eggs; livestock also decrease food supply by competing with people for food, especially grains fed to pigs and poultry. Currently, livestock supply 13% of energy to the world’s diet but consume one-half the world’s production of grains to do so. • However, livestock directly contribute to nutrition security. Milk, meat, and eggs, the “animal-source foods,” though expensive sources of energy, are one of the best sources of high quality protein and micronutrients that are essential for normal development and good health. But poor people tend to sell rather than consume the animal-source foods that they produce. • The contribution of livestock to food, distinguished from nutrition security among the poor, is mostly indirect: sales of animals or produce, demand for which is rapidly growing, can provide cash for the purchase of staple foods, and provision of manure, draft power, and income for purchase of farm inputs can boost sustainable crop production in mixed crop-livestock systems. • Livestock have the potential to be transformative: by enhancing food and nutrition security, and providing income to pay for education and other needs, livestock can enable poor children to develop into healthy, well-educated, productive adults. The challenge is how to manage complex trade-offs to enable livestock’s positive impacts to be realized while minimizing and mitigating negative ones, including threats to the health of people and the environment.
The roles of livestock in developing countries
(Journal Article, 2013) Herrero, Mario; Grace, Delia; Njuki, Jemimah; Johnson, Nancy L.; Enahoro, Dolapo K.; Silvestri, Silvia; Rufino, Mariana C.
Livestock play a significant role in rural livelihoods and the economies of developing countries. They are providers of income and employment for producers and others working in, sometimes complex, value chains. They are a crucial asset and safety net for the poor, especially for women and pastoralist groups, and they provide an important source of nourishment for billions of rural and urban households. These socio-economic roles and others are increasing in importance as the sector grows because of increasing human populations, incomes and urbanisation rates. To provide these benefits, the sector uses a significant amount of land, water, biomass and other resources and emits a considerable quantity of greenhouse gases. There is concern on how to manage the sector's growth, so that these benefits can be attained at a lower environmental cost. Livestock and environment interactions in developing countries can be both positive and negative. On the one hand, manures from ruminant systems can be a valuable source of nutrients for smallholder crops, whereas in more industrial systems, or where there are large concentrations of animals, they can pollute water sources. On the other hand, ruminant systems in developing countries can be considered relatively resource-use inefficient. Because of the high yield gaps in most of these production systems, increasing the efficiency of the livestock sector through sustainable intensification practices presents a real opportunity where research and development can contribute to provide more sustainable solutions. In order to achieve this, it is necessary that production systems become market-orientated, better regulated in cases, and socially acceptable so that the right mix of incentives exists for the systems to intensify. Managing the required intensification and the shifts to new value chains is also essential to avoid a potential increase in zoonotic, food-borne and other diseases. New diversification options and improved safety nets will also be essential when intensification is not the primary avenue for developing the livestock sector. These processes will need to be supported by agile and effective public and private institutions.
Identifying recommendation domains for targeting dual-purpose maize-based interventions in crop-livestock systems in East Africa
(Journal Article, 2013-01) Notenbaert, An Maria Omer; Herrero, Mario; Groote, H. de; You, Liangzhi; González Estrada, E.; Blümmel, Michael
In the three major maize producing countries in the East African region of Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia, up to 44% of the dietary calorie requirements is provided by maize. It is also recognized that livestock are an essential asset of poor farmers in the mixed crop-livestock systems in this region. One of the major constraints to their productivity is, however, feed availability. A significant proportion of this feed is sourced from maize stover. We engaged in a multi-disciplinary research of dual-purpose maize cultivars with the purpose of contributing to smallholder food security. The specific objective of our endeavor is to better match new maize cultivars to farmers’ needs by including fodder traits in maize improvement programs in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya. We explored a novel approach for targeting maize breeding research. Agricultural development strategies must recognize heterogeneity in bio-physical, economic, socio-cultural, institutional and environmental factors when devising interventions and investments. The research effort into maize as a food and feed resource was, therefore, carried out in a cross-section of bio-physically and socio-economically contrasting areas across the three study countries. To this effect the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre's traditional targeting framework, maize mega-environments (MMEs), was combined with recommendation domains for dual-purpose maize using a Geographical Information System (GIS). The GIS-based approach provided a spatial framework for the structured exploration of opportunities to transfer knowledge and technologies. Results show that maize is potentially an important feed resource in areas with high feed demand. Throughout the different MMEs, a range of different incentives for dual-purpose varieties can be found. The maps with recommendation domains for dual-purpose maize will facilitate better targeting of new maize cultivars. Cultivars with good quality stover can now be preferentially promoted in areas with high demand for stover as feed, while at the same time matched to the bio-physically most suitable mega-environment. This integrated approach is widely applicable and will help increase the impacts from agricultural research.
Targeting, gender and impact: Background proposals for the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish. Nairobi
(Report, 2011-03-05) International Livestock Research Institute; International Center for Tropical Agriculture; International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; WorldFish

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