Livestock needs more climate funding ahead of expected super El Niño, ILRI says

KENYA – Livestock experts are calling for greater investment in sustainable livestock production ahead of an expected super El Niño later this year, warning that stronger animal health and nutrition systems will be critical to protecting food security as climate extremes and geopolitical disruptions place increasing pressure on agriculture.

The call comes as farmers across Africa and Asia continue to face rising production costs linked to global conflicts and prepare for forecasts of severe El Niño conditions that could trigger droughts, crop failures and feed shortages.

According to livestock scientist Appolinaire Djikeng, sustainable livestock systems remain one of the most overlooked climate solutions despite their importance to rural livelihoods and agricultural economies.

The sector receives only 1-2% of climate finance allocated to agriculture, even though livestock contributes up to 80% of agricultural GDP in many low- and middle-income countries, he noted.

Djikeng argued that increasing investment in livestock would not only improve resilience to climate shocks but also deliver rapid reductions in methane emissions.

Unlike carbon dioxide, methane has a much stronger short-term warming effect. Reducing livestock methane, therefore, offers quicker climate benefits.

He said that many emissions result from poor animal health, inadequate nutrition, and low-quality feed rather than from livestock production itself.

Improving these factors can simultaneously increase productivity while lowering emissions.

Research from Ethiopia illustrates the challenge.

Poor animal health has been shown to increase livestock emissions by about 50% while reducing meat, milk and egg production.

Simple interventions such as vaccination, parasite control and improved nutrition could reduce emissions by at least 15% per unit of production while improving farmer incomes.

Scientists are also developing new feeding strategies.

Research by CGIAR centres has identified African clover, cowpea and lablab varieties capable of reducing methane emissions by up to 90%.

The plants contain natural compounds that alter microbial activity in the rumen, reducing methane production while supporting animal performance.

Researchers are now evaluating suitable varieties for large-scale cultivation to strengthen local feed systems.

Beyond improved feeding, restoring degraded grazing lands is also helping strengthen livestock resilience.

Participatory rangeland management programmes have restored about 340,000 hectares in Ethiopia and another 50,000 hectares in Tanzania, improving forage availability and supporting healthier livestock production systems.

Djikeng said expanding climate finance for livestock should be viewed as an investment in food security and economic stability rather than simply an environmental measure.

He argued that resilient livestock systems provide households with food, income and organic fertiliser when crop production is disrupted by drought or other climate shocks.

With extreme weather events expected to become more frequent, he warned that directing more climate finance towards sustainable livestock production will be essential to strengthening rural livelihoods while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.

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