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A shift from cattle to camel and goat farming can sustain milk production with lower inputs and emissions in north sub-Saharan Africa’s drylands

Rahimi, Jaber 1; Fillol, Erwann; Mutua, John Y.; Cinardi, Giuseppina; Robinson, Timothy P.; Notenbaert, An M. O.; Ericksen, Polly J.; Graham, Michael W.; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus 1
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung – Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IMK-IFU), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract (englisch):

Climate change is increasingly putting milk production from cattle-based dairy systems in north sub-Saharan Africa (NSSA) under stress, threatening livelihoods and food security. Here we combine livestock heat stress frequency, dry matter feed production and water accessibility data to understand where environmental changes in NSSA’s drylands are jeopardizing cattle milk production. We show that environmental conditions worsened for ∼17% of the study area. Increasing goat and camel populations by ∼14% (∼7.7 million) and ∼10% (∼1.2 million), respectively, while reducing the dairy cattle population by ∼24% (∼5.9 million), could result in ∼0.14 Mt (+5.7%) higher milk production, lower water (−1,683.6 million m3, −15.3%) and feed resource (−404.3 Mt, −11.2%) demand—and lower dairy emissions by ∼1,224.6 MtCO2e (−7.9%). Shifting herd composition from cattle towards the inclusion of, or replacement with, goats and camels can secure milk production and support NSSA’s dairy production resilience against climate change.


Verlagsausgabe §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000148914
Veröffentlicht am 25.07.2022
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00543-6
Scopus
Zitationen: 10
Web of Science
Zitationen: 7
Dimensions
Zitationen: 11
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung – Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IMK-IFU)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsmonat/-jahr 07.2022
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 2662-1355
KITopen-ID: 1000148914
HGF-Programm 12.11.22 (POF IV, LK 01) Managed ecosystems as sources and sinks of GHGs
Erschienen in Nature Food
Verlag Nature Research
Band 3
Heft 7
Seiten 523–531
Projektinformation INSA (EU, H2020, 871944)
Vorab online veröffentlicht am 21.07.2022
Nachgewiesen in Scopus
Web of Science
Dimensions
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