Adaptation and Mitigation for Livestock: A Multidisciplinary Approach in Response to Climate Change

Debre Birhan University is a partner of ILRI and the CGIAR Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate. As part of this collaboration, the ILRI team on Pioneer-Positive Deviance (P-PD) organized a seminar for colleagues from Debre Birhan University on the ILRI Addis Abeba Campus to understand the importance of the P-PD approach for enhancing learning between different farm households and the methodologies used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for estimating GHG emissions. The program was a mixture of social and biophysical research on climate change. 

Twenty participants with diverse backgrounds, representing the research priorities of Debre Birhan University, actively participated in the seminar. Their questions demonstrated a high level of expertise, and the discussions reflected a strong interest in the topics presented. 

In the first half of the seminar, the P-PD team presented on positive deviance and the adaptation pioneers, specifically on how this approach can be part of teaching at the university. The team also explained in more detail about the pilot study in the North Shewa Zone and its initial implementation at the beginning of the research initiative. Unfortunately, due to the instability in the zone, the research could not reach its full implementation stage. 

A longer debate evolved around how pioneer farmers are selected, and what makes them different from model farmers. This led to a critical discussion of the current framing of the extension system categorizing farmers from model farmers to “laggards”. The P-PD team questions this framing and offers an alternative: integrating locally led innovation and adaptation into an Agricultural Innovation System-oriented extension approach. This alternative emphasizes creating an enabling environment for learning and endogenous innovations, rather than relying on top-down transfer of technologies. 

In the second part of the seminar, the ILRI Mazingira team presented greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the livestock sector, their measurement methodologies and mitigation strategies. They emphasized that livestock contributes 40% of the global value of agricultural output in developed countries and 20% in developing ones, supporting the livelihoods and food and nutrition security of almost 1.3 billion people. At the same time, livestock-related CH4 accounts for 30% of global anthropogenic CH4 emissions, which has significant implications for the global agenda on livestock and climate.  

Mazingira focuses on measuring these emissions in livestock systems in East Africa to obtain more realistic region-specific emission factors. The experts presented different mitigation strategies for enteric fermentation and manure management relevant to Sub-Saharan African countries, such as improved animal feed to reduce enteric methane emissions intensity. Additionally, they provided insight into their research on biodigesters, which generate clean energy and organic fertilizer from livestock manure, contributing to a circular economy approach and GHG mitigation.  

The seminar provided an opportunity for better understanding of research methodologies and to integrate the work of the P-PD and Mazingira team into the university’s teachings on these topics. Building on the seminar’s momentum, a project proposal was submitted jointly with other partners to expand research on this topic and more collaboration on jointly supervising students. The excitement and large interest of the students across diverse disciplines provides an exciting opportunity to gain diverse perspectives on these topics.  

The seminar was a critical step in expanding awareness of the P-PD approach, allowing participants to understand how the approach can be integrated into farmer interventions and enhanced learning between farm households. It also raised the need for the University to integrate the approach into teaching modules. The seminar is part of a larger collaboration with the University to expand partnerships and collaboration. A project proposal has been submitted together with Debre Birhan University and partners, as well as the continued discussion of joint supervision of students.  

Story by Birgit Habermann and Daniel Mulat, ILRI. 

Banner Photo: Workshop participants on ILRI’s Addis Abeba campus. Photo by M.Mulatu/ILRI.