New study finds that severe undernutrition of cattle increases their methane production
Climate change / East Africa / Emission Factors / Environment / GHG Emissions / Greenhouse Gas / Kenya / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Mazingira / SLS

New study finds that severe undernutrition of cattle increases their methane production

A study by researchers at the International ILRI, and partners in Germany investigated the effects of moderate to severe levels of feeding below an animal’s energy requirement on enteric methane production in young Boran steers. The study found that methane produced by an animal per unit feed intake increases as the amount of feed consumed by an animal decreases. Continue reading

Senior Kenya government officials visit ILRI’s Kapiti Research Station
CCAFS / Climate change / Data / Emission Factors / Environment / GHG Emissions / Greenhouse Gas / Kenya / Livestock / LIVESTOCKCRP / Research Infrastructure / SLS

Senior Kenya government officials visit ILRI’s Kapiti Research Station

Originally posted on ILRI news:
https://flic.kr/p/2iFrCNC Jimmy Smith (centre), Dieter Schillinger (second right) and Sita Ghimire (right) with Kenya government officials who recently visited the Kapiti Research Station (photo credit: ILRI/Paul Karaimu). Three senior Kenya government officials visited the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Kapiti Research Station on 18 Mar 2020. Ambassador Samuel Gitonga, director…

ILRI trains East Africa officials on measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock systems
Capacity strengthening / CCAFS / Climate change / Data / Emission Factors / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / SLS

ILRI trains East Africa officials on measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock systems

Originally posted on ILRI news:
Livestock production is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture. But global estimates of these emissions are based on emission factors from developed countries. There is limited data on emissions from livestock systems in developing countries, which has contributed to a lagging of climate-change adaptation and mitigation…

ILRI ‘eWeigh’ mobile phone app to help farmers accurately estimate live weight of their cattle
Dairying / Data / Environment / Kenya / Mazingira / SLS

ILRI ‘eWeigh’ mobile phone app to help farmers accurately estimate live weight of their cattle

Originally posted on ILRI news:
One of the most important and revealing attributes of livestock is their live weight. This single measurement can help farmers effectively manage their stock and is critical for making informed decisions on aspects of animal production such as feed rations, market value, administration of veterinary drugs and mating times. For…

Changing landscapes call for new pathways in livestock development in Ethiopia’s Afar region
Climate change / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / Livestock / SLS

Changing landscapes call for new pathways in livestock development in Ethiopia’s Afar region

Originally posted on Sustainable livestock systems:
Livestock production is the main source of livelihood in the pastoral lands of Afar in northeastern Ethiopia. But the traditional livestock-keeping way of life there has been severely affected by climate change in recent years. Rainfall has become unpredictable, and the area has been hit by unprecedented droughts and…

A new project is launched to support climate-smart livestock strategies and investments in East Africa
CCAFS / Climate change / East Africa / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / SLS

A new project is launched to support climate-smart livestock strategies and investments in East Africa

Originally posted on ILRI news:
It is hard to overstate the role that the livestock sector plays in ensuring food security in sub-Saharan Africa. The sector provides a vital source of income to most of the rural poor. Livestock production also provides nutritional benefits to people through their milk, meat and eggs, which are protein…

Strengthening African research infrastructure for greenhouse gas observations
Capacity strengthening / Climate change / Emission Factors / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / Research Infrastructure / SLS

Strengthening African research infrastructure for greenhouse gas observations

Initial results of the EU-African SEACRIFOG project, which aims to design a GHG observation research infrastructure, highlight the current GHG emissions research gaps in the continent. Current efforts to strengthen research infrastructure are also highlighted.
Continue reading

CCAFS / Climate change / East Africa / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / Livestock / SLS

Investing in low emissions development strategies in the dairy sector: Viable options for Kenya and Ethiopia

Originally posted on Sustainable livestock systems:
Livestock production plays a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food and nutrition security for millions of families across Africa. The centrality of livestock in achieving sustainable development for cannot be overstated. It is also true that livestock production is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from…

Greenhouse gas emissions from dung patches in developing countries are ‘likely highly overestimated’—New report
Climate change / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / Livestock / SLS

Greenhouse gas emissions from dung patches in developing countries are ‘likely highly overestimated’—New report

Originally posted on ILRI news:
Cattle herding in Kenya (photo credit: CCAFS/Cecilia Schubert). A new research paper published by scientists of the Mazingira Centre (‘mazingira’ means ‘environment’ in Swahili) of the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) reports evidence that greenhouse gas emissions from dung patches in developing countries are ‘likely highly overestimated’ in global…

New studies provide the first accurate estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from East African livestock
Climate change / East Africa / Emission Factors / Environment / Greenhouse Gas / Livestock / SLS

New studies provide the first accurate estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from East African livestock

Originally posted on ILRI Clippings:
ILRI scientist John Goopy describes ILRI’s Mazingira Centre research on livestock and greenhouse gas emissions to ILRI partners at the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security and leads them on a tour of Mazingira’s Greenhouse Gas Laboratory, in Nairobi, Kenya (photo credit: CCAFS/S Kilungu). The following…