Overview 

From 2018 to 2022, livestock and livestock products contributed approximately 3 percent to Rwanda’s GDP. Around 1.7 million households own at least one type of livestock. The most commonly owned animals are cows (28 percent of households), followed by goats (19 percent), pigs (15 percent), chickens (12 percent), and rabbits (6 percent). 

At the same time, the agriculture sector was the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for nearly 50 percent of Rwanda’s national emissions in 2018. Methane from enteric fermentation made up 68 percent of the country's total methane emissions. 

Since 2000, the Government of Rwanda has established strong institutional frameworks to address climate change. Under the Paris Agreement, Rwanda submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on time, demonstrating greater climate ambition compared to its previous Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted before 2020. 

In the updated NDCs, Rwanda committed to reducing GHG emissions by 38 percent below business-as-usual (BAU) levels by 2030. Key mitigation measures in the livestock sector include reducing emissions from enteric fermentation through the introduction of improved livestock breeds, enhanced animal husbandry practices, better quality feed, and the adoption of more efficient manure management systems.