Climate Change and Variability in the Mixed Crop/Livestock Production Systems of Central Ethiopian Highland

The socio-economic contribution of livestock production to global livelihood and food security offsets its negative effects on the environment through greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Livestocks are emitters of GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO2) from land conversion and deforestation, nitrous oxide (N2O) from manure and slurry, and methane (CH4) from animal digestion which significantly contribute to climate change. Climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on animal farming. Thus, the main concern nowadays is toward the development of programs for adaptation and mitigation of GHG emissions. This review provides knowledge about climate change impacts on livestock production systems with the identification of strategies for livestock adaptation to climate change and mitigation of GHG emissions.

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Can Retention of Crop Residues on the Field Be Justified on Socioeconomic Grounds? A Case Study from the Mixed Crop-Livestock Production Systems of the Moroccan Drylands

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11081465 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1465

Author(s):

Tamer El-Shater ◽

Yigezu A. Yigezu

Keyword(s):

Crop Residues ◽

Production Systems ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Alternative Feed ◽

Mixed Crop ◽

Residue Retention

Conservation agriculture (CA) involving zero tillage, crop diversification, and residue retention is considered a panacea for several interrelated problems in agricultural production. However, in the mixed crop-livestock production systems of the drylands, crop residues have great significance as sources of animal feed, posing a major challenge in the promotion of CA. While the economic benefits and the drivers of adoption of zero tillage and rotation have been well documented, the literature on the economics of residue retention (RR), especially in the drylands, is scanty. By applying the endogenous switching regression model to a case study of 2296 wheat fields in Morocco, this paper provides evidence on the socio-economic impacts of residue retention. Between 30% and 60% and above 60% of crop residues were retained respectively on 35% and 14% of wheat fields. These levels of residue retention led to 22% and 29% more yields, 25% and 32% higher gross margins and 22% and 25% more consumption of wheat, respectively. Retention of above 60% residue reduces both downside risk and variability of yield while lower levels of residue retention have mixed effects. Residue retention is economically and biophysically beneficial even for owners of livestock as the monetary value of the additional grain yield more than offsets the cost of purchasing an equivalent amount of feed from the market—all providing good economic justification for residue retention. Our findings show that economic reasons are not barriers for adoption of residue retention, but risk factors and absence of alternative feed sources might. The policy implication of our results is that there are high incentives for Morocco and other similar countries in North Africa and West Asia to invest in the development and/or import of alternative feed sources, introducing crop insurance, and raising the awareness of the economic, biophysical and environmental benefits of residue retention among farmers.

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Adapting Climate Change and Variability for Current and Future Production Systems of Maize

Developing Climate-Resilient Crops ◽

10.1201/9781003109037-10-10 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 203-215

Author(s):

Ishfaq Ahmad ◽

Muhammad Mohsin Waqas ◽

Farhana Gul ◽

Muhammad Mumtaz

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Production Systems ◽

Climate Change And Variability ◽

Future Production

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Climate change and livestock production: A review

Nigerian Journal of Animal Production ◽

10.51791/njap.v48i4.2991 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 9-13

Author(s):

A. O. Agbeja ◽

K. A. Olaifa ◽

D. R. Akindolu ◽

H. O. Salau ◽

M. S. Akinlade

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Production Systems ◽

Health Impact ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Production Performance ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Changement Climatique ◽

Impact Of Climate Change ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

The livestock system is one of the most important characteristics of agrarian economy; livestock sector provides sustainability and stability to the national economy by contributing to farm energy and food security. Climate change is seen as a major threat to the survival of many species, ecosystems and the sustainability of livestock production systems in many parts of the world. Green house gases (GHG) are released in the atmosphere both by natural sources and anthropogenic (human related) activities. The impact of climate change can heighten the vulnerability of livestock systems and exacerbate existing stresses upon them, such as drought. Parasites and diseases are among the most severe factors that impact livestock production and reproduction, impact on livestock health, impact on feed and fodder availability, reduction in livestock population and impact of climate change on livestock genetics resource. However, the climate change especially global warming may highly influence production performance of farm animals throughout the world, this results in decreased animal production and productivity. Le système de bétail est l'une des caractéristiques les plus importantes de l'économie agraire; Le secteur de l'élevage assure la durabilité et la stabilité de l'économie nationale en contribuant à l'énergie agricole et à la sécurité alimentaire. Le changement climatique est considéré comme une menace majeure pour la survie de nombreuses espèces, écosystèmes et la durabilité des systèmes de production animale dans de nombreuses régions du monde. Les gaz à effet de serre (GES) sont rejetés dans l'atmosphère à la fois par des sources naturelles et par des activités anthropiques (liées à l'homme). L'impact du changement climatique peut accroître la vulnérabilité des systèmes de bétail et exacerber les tensions existantes sur eux, telles que la sécheresse. Les parasites et les maladies sont parmi les facteurs les plus graves qui ont un impact sur la production et la reproduction du bétail, un impact sur la santé du bétail, un impact sur les aliments et la disponibilité du fourrage, la réduction du cheptel et l'impact du changement climatique sur les ressources génétiques du bétail. Cependant, le changement climatique, en particulier le réchauffement climatique, peut fortement influencer les performances de production des animaux d'élevage à travers le monde, ce qui entraîne une baisse de la production et de la productivité animales.

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The Impact of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Egyptian Livestock Production

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11113127 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 3127

Author(s):

Amira A. Goma ◽

Clive J. C. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Milk Production ◽

Human Population ◽

Production Systems ◽

Livestock Production ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Animal Products ◽

Alternative Scenarios ◽

The Impact

Egypt is one of the hottest countries in the world, and extreme climate events are becoming more frequent, which is consistent with the warming of the planet. The impact of this warming on ecosystems is severe, including on livestock production systems. Under Egyptian conditions, livestock already suffer heat stress periods in summer. The predicted increases in temperature as result of climate change will affect livestock production by reducing growth and milk production because of appetite suppression and conception rate reductions and will increase animal welfare concerns. In severe cases, these effects can result in death. We review the heat stress effects on livestock behaviour, reproduction, and production in the context of predicted climate change for Egypt over the course of this century and offer alternative scenarios to achieve food security for a growing human population. As an example, we combine predictions for reduced milk production during heat stress and human population trajectories to predict that milk availability per person will decline from 61 kg/year in 2011 to 26 kg/year in 2064. Mitigation strategies are discussed and include the substitution of animal-based foods for plant-based foods and laboratory-grown animal products.

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Use of productivity-defined indicators to assess exposure of grassland-based livestock systems to climate change and variability

Crop and Pasture Science ◽

10.1071/cp13076 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 64 (7) ◽

pp. 641 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Marion Sautier ◽

Michel Duru ◽

Roger Martin-Clouaire

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Production Systems ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Climate Change Research ◽

Climate Change And Variability ◽

The Past ◽

The Future ◽

The Difference ◽

Livestock Systems ◽

Agricultural Production Systems

Climate change research that aims to accelerate the adaptation process of agricultural production systems first requires understanding their climatic vulnerability, which is in part characterised by their exposure. This paper’s approach moves beyond traditional metrics of climate variables and proposes specific indicators for grassland-based livestock systems. The indicators focus on the variation in seasonal boundaries and seasonal and yearly herbage productivity in response to weather conditions. The paper shows how statistical interpretations of these indicators over several sites and climatic years (past and future) enable the characterisation of classes of climatic years and seasons as well as their frequencies of occurrence and their variation from the past to the expected future. The frequency of occurrence and succession of seasonal extremes is also examined by analysing the difference between observed or predicted seasonal productivity and past mean productivity. The data analysis and corresponding statistical graphics used in our approach can help farmers, advisers, and scientists envision site-specific impacts of climate change on herbage production patterns. An illustrative analysis is performed on three sites in south-western France using a series of climatic years covering two 30-year periods in the past and the future. We found that the herbage production of several clusters of climatic years can be identified as ‘normal’ (i.e. frequent) and that the most frequent clusters in the past become less common in the future, although some clusters remain common. In addition, the year-to-year variability and the contrast between spring and summer–fall (autumn) herbage production are expected to increase.

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