Ruminant Productivity Among Smallholders in a Changing Climate: Adaptation Strategies

Abstract

Smallholder farmers are the worst hit by the impact of the changing climate, especially those in developing countries. Climate change shows direct impact on the significant contribution of the production systems and related practices of smallholder farmers. Ruminant production systems emit various proportions of the primary greenhouse gases of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane associated with global warming and the resultant climate change. Higher concentration of these emitted gases indicates inefficiency in production through energy, nutrient, and organic matter loss, which will negatively affect productivity of ruminants. Climate change has come to stay, and it will have some effects on agriculture through high temperature, low relative humidity, drought, erratic rainfall, and emerging pests and diseases. These will have a negative impact on feed crop and forage, water availability, animal and milk production, livestock diseases, animal reproduction, and biodiversity, thus constituting a threat to ruminant production. Livestock farmers will be most affected by the direct and indirect impact of climate change of the much more affected agriculturists. However, livestock farmers must learn how to maintain profitable production in the face of climate change. Therefore, in the face of changing climate, the purpose of this chapter is to provide insight into how smallholder farmers in developing countries can continue (adaptation) with their ruminant farming in a sustainable way.