Comments on: Climate smart livestock systems

By: Ewen Le Borgne

Ewen Le Borgne — Fri, 15 May 2015 11:13:28 +0000

(Late comment from Addis team)
The idea behind this is that we need to think about not only about the issues we are facing now but also the future. Our environment is going to change dramatically. We need to have productivity gain with the environment – a win win situation.
There is need to have multidisciplinary solutions, not just work on feeds, genetics, health alone but an integrated approach to all.
Short & medium term research is the focus at ILRI. We need to come up with long term researches.
We need to identify the ‘Bright spots’, linking what we do in NRM.
Use the modeling components.
Use an inter-disciplinary approach. We need Sustainable intensification for changing the climate. The other ideas SI are developing indicators for SI.
Feed is a major contributor to animal feed which in turn contributes to GH emissions.
If you ignore feeds and focus on the other components that will be a very dangerous approach.
Zoonosis and some of the diseases – new breed – match to new feed – changing the diet of the animals would be mitigating GH emission.
Bringing together different parts of the institute into a more coherent way of targeting interventions.
This can be linked to the climate change and sustainable intensification initiative that is currently underway.
The challenge at times is centers wanting to own research components. How do we work that tradeoff?

By: Jimmy Smith

Jimmy Smith — Tue, 12 May 2015 21:09:52 +0000

The idea that we could develop climate smart livestock systems is very appealing. This is indeed a goal that ILRI is expected to contribute to. While the aims of this idea are clear the contributors of this idea should be encouraged to say more about how these would be achieved. Also 2040 is a long time from now so some shorter term achievements should be specified along the way. Say more about how to achieve this idea.

By: Polly Ericksen

Polly Ericksen — Tue, 12 May 2015 18:47:04 +0000

hmm… where is the adaptation pillar? Climate smart means you are adapting to future conditions which will be very different from today… I don’t see that featuring here at all.. how is this any different from “sustainably intensified systems”? how will you prove/ assess that this is climate smart?

and what about food / nutritional security?

otherwise love the interdisciplinary and demand led focus…