Enhancing livestock climate actions in Rwanda

Livestock stakeholders in Rwanda recently convened to discuss the outcomes of the assessment conducted on livestock climate actions and the baseline data of greenhouse gas emissions originating from dairy cattle systems. The purpose of this gathering was to explore ways to enhance the country's efforts in mitigating climate change impacts associated with the livestock sector.

Livestock systems contribute significantly to food security and the socio-economic well-being of households in Rwanda. Between 2005 and 2020, milk production witnessed a six-fold increase, rising from 142 to 891 thousand tonnes. Approximately 46 percent of this milk is collected through about 130 milk collection centres and supplied to markets. Despite this remarkable growth, the dairy sector remains the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, mainly in the form of methane from enteric fermentation. As a result, it significantly contributes to Rwanda’s national greenhouse gas inventory. To address this issue, the country has identified livestock-specific mitigation commitments in its updated nationally determined contributions (NDC) and has implemented sector-specific policies to facilitate the achievement of these commitments.

FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda (MINAGRI) organized the second stakeholder workshop on national climate actions in Rwanda’s livestock systems. The workshop brought together participants from 28 different institutions. The primary objective of the event was to present, validate, and improve the outcomes of the analysis conducted on livestock climate actions in Rwanda. Additionally, the workshop aimed to foster discussions on technical and policy options for mitigating greenhouse gas.

“Rwanda is implementing the fourth phase of the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 4) by promoting climate-resilient crops and livestock. This effort aims to support the transformation of livestock into a more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable sector that contributes to economic growth, food and nutrition security, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts”, said Jean Claude Ndorimana, Director General of the Animal Resources Development at MINAGRI, in his opening speech. He also stressed the importance of improved collaboration between MINAGRI, the Ministry of Environment, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and other relevant institutions. This collaboration is critical for monitoring and tracking the progress made to align Rwanda's livestock sector development objectives with national climate actions.

Key outcomes

Alignment between national sectorial policies and NDC commitments:

The findings of the policy analysis indicate that Rwanda has established an enabling environment to support the implementation of climate commitments across all sectors. There is a strong correlation between national policies and the specific commitments outlined in the NDC pertaining to the livestock sector. However, additional efforts are required to effectively translate these policies and strategies into tangible projects and programmes, enabling greater access to climate finance. The policies support both mitigation and adaptation interventions by focusing on improving livestock management practices, enhancing manure management systems, promoting the production of household biogas for cooking purposes, and up-scaling livestock insurance schemes to build resilience.

Assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cattle systems:

According to the recent assessment conducted by FAO using the Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model (GLEAM), dairy cattle systems contribute about 3.6 million tonnes of CO2-eq in 2020. The majority of these emissions result from methane generated through enteric fermentation and manure management systems. The analysis was conducted using the Tier 2 methodology established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. During the workshop, participants discussed the challenges associated with obtaining reliable data for such assessment. In response, they recommended increased collaboration among key institutions such as MINAGRI, the Rwanda Agriculture Board, the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, and the National Statistics Institute of Rwanda. This collaboration aims to establish a joint database within the national measurement, reporting, and verification framework, ensuring enhanced consistency and transparency in data collection and reporting processes. Furthermore, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presented a successful case study of methane mitigation through the implementation of the home biogas programme, which has been implemented in 500 households in the East Province of Rwanda.

Capacity building on livestock climate actions:

Participants emphasized the need to boost the technical capacities of key agencies, ministries, and other livestock stakeholders regarding greenhouse gas inventory based on the Tier 2 approach. They also stressed the importance of livestock sectorial analysis and policies that support evidence-based decision making and policy formulation. Furthermore, participants highlighted the significance of creating opportunities for collaboration, coordination, and knowledge exchange among livestock and climate stakeholders. To address these capacity building needs, FAO will organize training sessions on livestock and climate action under the Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC) subprogramme “Scaling-up climate actions to enhance nationally determined contributions (NDC) and climate and livestock”. These trainings are scheduled to take place later in 2023.

Roadmap on greenhouse gas mitigation:

During the discussions, participants focused on outlining the steps needed to design a comprehensive roadmap for mitigating methane emissions in the livestock sector. The key steps include the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions, the identification of technical and innovative mitigation interventions, the development of marginal abatement cost curves, and the assessment of the economic impact associated with different mitigation scenarios. The outcomes of these discussions will contribute to the ongoing formulation of the Green Climate Fund Project Preparation Facility on Pathways to Dairy Net Zero: Promoting Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Livestock in East Africa. Specifically, the outcomes will support the baseline feasibility studies of the project, providing valuable insights and data to be utilized in the formulation and implementation of mitigation strategies.