THE Centre for the Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) is partnering the World Bank to train farmers in Southern Africa on climate-smart livestock production in a move that promotes sustainable livelihoods.
The World Bank, working with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has since organised a ground-breaking training on designing and implementing climate-smart livestock operations in Nairobi, Kenya, last week where representatives from the World Bank, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) alongside project teams from Kenya, Ethiopia, and CCARDESA convened.
Zimbabwe is also part of the countries, whose farmers are set to receive training.
Livestock is the cornerstone of global food systems, supporting the livelihoods of over 1, 3 billion people and contributing 30 percent of agricultural output in low and middle-income countries.
However, the sector also accounts for 14, 5 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, intensifying pressure on ecosystems, land and biodiversity.
In a statement, CCARDESA said the programme emphasised the urgent need to balance livestock's critical role in livelihoods with its environmental footprint.
With special focus on building capacity for sustainable livestock management, the training sessions align with the World Bank's corporate commitments to GHG accounting, monitoring, reporting and verification.
"Participants at the training explored actionable strategies to address emissions, including improved feed formulations, enhancing animal diets to reduce methane production, rotational grazing systems, mitigating soil degradation and promoting carbon sequestration.
"They will also address issues of manure management systems and reducing nitrous oxide emissions through better waste handling.
Technical sessions also introduced participants to tools like Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACCs) and strategies for scaling Climate-Smart Livestock (CSL) practices. The training highlighted the importance of tailoring interventions to local contexts and economic realities for effective implementation," read the statement.
The training programme also featured field visits to Kenya's Mazingira Research Centre and Kapiti Research Station, where participants observed innovative practices in action.
Activities included demonstrations of fodder trials, improved pasture systems, and advanced laboratory research on emissions monitoring, providing hands-on experience in sustainable livestock management.
It is worth noting that, CCARDESA is currently coordinating the regional implementation of several World Bank-funded initiatives, including the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA), Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), and the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) for Eastern and Southern Africa.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president, Dr Shadreck Makombe has welcomed the initiative saying it would create opportunities for farmers to get enough knowledge on how to tackle carbon emissions.
"We have many livestock classes in Zimbabwe so we want this programme to be run in Zimbabwe where there are many smallholder farmers. Our farmers need to be educated on elimination of carbon emissions. The programme will educate them to plant more trees and reduce chances of airborne diseases," he said
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The World Bank's continued support for climate-smart livestock production ensures that the knowledge and tools developed during the sessions will be integrated into projects on the ground, advancing sustainable practices across the region.
This initiative represents a vital step towards achieving global climate goals while addressing regional development priorities.
It also underscores the potential for collaborative, science-driven approaches to create a more sustainable and equitable future for livestock systems worldwide.
