Documentation of Climate Change Adaptation Practice: the Case of Livestock

Empowering Communities

DOCUMENTATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION PRACTICE: THE CASE OF LIVESTOCK

REPORT

Civil Society Network on Climate Change

Plot No. LK 388, Along Glynn Jones Rd, Namiwawa

P O Box 1057

Blantyre, MALAWI

e: www.cisonecc.org

t.: +265 (0) 212 700 104

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CISONECC isgrateful to all the smallholder farmers in Dedza and Chikwawa who are working with CADECOM and participated in this study. They participated with great enthusiasm and contributed a wealth of knowledge during the data collection period. Last but not the least, gratitude goes to the following individuals: Chimwemwe Phiri and Yusuf Mkungula of CADECOM office, Mr George Chasakala and Wilfred Tsabola both from Chikwawa CADECOM, MrBenardKanyumba (Programme Coordinator) and Joseph Chimdzakazi (field officer) from Dedza CADECOM officewho contributed a wealth of knowledge and other logistical support.

Special thanks are due to the consulting team led by Associate Prof. Timothy Gondwe and comprising Daniel Chiumia and Wilson Nandolo for investing their time and skills in this exercise.

ACRONYMS

ARCC African and Latin American Resilience to Climate Change

AVOs Assistant Veterinary Officers

CADECOM Catholic Development Commission

CISONECC Civil Society Network on Climate Change

EPA Extension Planning Area

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FGD Focus Group Discussions

GHG Greenhouse Emissions

HH Households

KI Key informant

LSD Lumpy Skin Disease

LUANAR Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MoAFS Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

NGO None Governmental Organisations

PPP Public Private Partnership

SCC Swedish Cooperative Centre

SD Standard Deviation

SPSS Statistical Products and Services Solutions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i

ACRONYMS ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES v

LIST OF FIGURES vi

LIST OF BOXES vii

LIST OF CASE STUDIES viii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix

1 BACKGROUND 1

1.1 Project overview 1

1.2 Understanding of replicable climate change adaptation practices 1

1.3 Specific tasks of the Study 1

1.4 General approach 2

1.5 Specific approach 3

1.6 Expected outputs 4

2 METHODOLOGY 4

2.1 Data collection 4

2.1.1 Literature Review 4

2.1.2 Household survey 4

2.1.3 Key informant interviews 5

2.1.4 Focus Group Discussions 5

2.1.5 Observations 5

2.2 Demographic information 5

2.3 Data Analysis 6

2.4 Limitations 6

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREAS 7

3.1 Levels and sources of income 7

3.2 Livestock production statistics 11

3.2.1 Livestock ownership and status 11

3.2.2 Livestock diversity 12

3.2.3 Livestock flock and herd sizes 13

3.2.4 Livestock production and housing systems 14

3.2.5 Purposes for keeping livestock 15

3.2.6 Livestock health and veterinary services 17

3.2.7 Estimation of the values of livestock products and services for the year 2013 17

3.2.8 Livestock products and services trends 18

3.2.9 General and climate related challenges facing livestock production 19

3.3 Relationship between household income and livestock ownership 21

3.4 Climate changes and the adaptability of livestock and households 21

3.4.1 Farmers’ perception of climate change issues 21

3.4.2 Climate change impacts on livestock and adaptability of livestock to the impacts 22

3.4.3 Integration of irrigation agriculture and livestock production 23

3.4.4 Preference for livestock breeds in the context of climate change 24

3.4.5 The adaptability of households to the effects of climate change 24

3.5 Recommended livestock model for the study areas 25

3.6 Recommended livestock species to promote as priority 29

4 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31

4.1 Conclusions 31

4.1.1 Replicable livestock practices and technologies 31

4.1.2 Economic activities 31

4.1.3 Livestock diversity and production practices 31

4.1.4 Livestock utilisation 31

4.1.5 Livestock challenges 32

4.1.6 Relationship between livestock and household income 32

4.2 Recommendations 32

5 APPENDICES 33

Appendix 1: Statistics tables 33

Appendix 2: Household interviews semi-structured questionnaire 34

Appendix 2: Focus Group Discussion interview guide 46

Appendix 3: Key informants interview guide 50

LIST OF TABLES

Table 21: Demographic information 6

Table 31: Household characteristics 7

Table 32 : Sources of income 8

Table 33: Levels of income from each income source in 2013 9

Table 34: Livestock ownership 11

Table 35: The Gini coefficients for the ownership inequality of each of the livestock species 12

Table 36: Flocks and herd sizes of different species of livestock 14

Table 37: Production and housing systems, and purposes for keeping livestock 14

Table 38: The products and services obtained from livestock 15

Table 39: Value of products and services in the last accounting period (growing season) 17

Table 310 : Livestock challenges in general and those related to climate change impact 19

Table 311: The correlation between different variables and the number of different types of livestock owned per household 21

Table 312: Farmers’ understanding of the term climate change (n = 48) 21

Table 313: Climate change effects and factors that are exacerbating them 22

Table 314: Impacts of climate change on livestock and adaptability of livestock to the impacts 22

Table 315: Farmer's preference for livestock breeds in the context of climate change 24

Table 316: Ways how households use livestock to increase their resilience to climatic shocks 25

Table 51: Total number of livestock owned in Golomoti and Mbewe EPAs 33

Table 52: Mean number of livestock per household by extension planning area 33

Table 53: Mean number of livestock per household by gender of household head 33

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 31: Average proportions of different sources of income in the last growing season in both study areas. 8

Figure 32: Respective contribution of household income from different sources in three agro-ecological zones. 10

Figure 33: Respective sources of household income from livestock by species among male and female headed households. 11

Figure 34: Flock distribution of various livestock species among farmers in Dedza and Chikhwawa CADECOM impact areas. 12

Figure 35: Percentage of households owning different types of livestock 13

Figure 36: Trends in the levels of different products and services derived from livestock 19

Figure 37: Cattle grazing in climate affected zones with long dry seasons. 20

Figure 38: Livestock and Conservation Agriculture without or with partial integration 26

Figure 39: Livestock and Conservation Agriculture with integration and intensification 27

Figure 310: Livestock and Irrigation without integration 28

Figure 311: Optimal Livestock and Irrigation integration 28

LIST OF BOXES

Box 1: Improvement of nutrition through more livestock ownership: does it work all the time? 16

Box 2: Effects of climate change on livestock diseases 20

Box 3: Balancing livestock production and irrigation agriculture 24

LIST OF CASE STUDIES

Case study 1: Household utilisation of livestock as a tool for increasing resilience to climate change effects 16

Case study 2: Livestock diversification, a pathway for significant contribution of livestock to household income and resilience to climate change effects 21

Case study 3: Livestock and household adaptation mechanism to feed scarcity 23

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This study was commissioned by CISONECC to document best bet livestock practicestoclimate change adaptation based on field work experience and isolate lessons with higher potential for out and up scaling. CISONECC is involved in a three year project, ending 2016,which is aimedat increasing food security, income and resilience to climate change among households in selected districts in Southern Malawi by developing and implementing interventions that lead to;a) sustainable food, and related to that, nutrition security, b) increasing contribution to household income from the interventions, andc) climate change compatible. Hence the necessity to document livestock practices or technologies which are compatible and integratableinto the existing or slightly modified production systems favourable to smallholder farmers and less privileged members of the communities.

Hundred a twenty four respondents from Dedza and Chikhwawa districts CADECOM impact areas participated in this study through household interviews (50), FGD (67) and KI interviews (7). The respondents defined climate change in respect to change in rainfall pattern, low crop yields, high temperature and drought.The respondents reported that climate change effects have negatively affected cattle, goats and chicken production comparatively higher than other species through a) scarcity of feed, b) lack of or access to drinking water, c) increased livestock diseases; and d) reduced area for grazing which are resulting in low livestock production and poor breeding. However, the study has reviewed that selected livestock species, for instance cattle and goats, have adapted to the effects of climate change by increasing the diversity of feed sources and grazing area coverage. For instance, farmers have of late observed cattle eating soil and goats eating shrubs which was not the case in the past. At farm level, the majority of households raisinglivestock have adopted grazing and scavenging feeding systems, as management practices toincrease livestock adaptation to climate change effects. Inevitably, the modification offeeding systems is resulting in farmers encroaching forest and irrigated areas. The later challenge is being addressed by fencing off the irrigated areas without restricting farm animals’ access to water points.

The results further showed that when there are droughts, floods and other disasters, livestock are normally sold. It was also noted that livestock are sold to buy farm inputs even in periods of normal climatic conditions, which makes the livestock a very important part of the diverse production systems.This report includes case studies and available also invideo format to validate:

a)  How household utilise livestock as a tool for increased resilience to climate change effects.

b)  How livestock diversification significantly contributes to household income and resilience to dynamic shocks, climatic related inclusive, and

c)  Existing mechanism or strategies for livestock and household adaptation to feed scarcity and conflict with smallholder irrigation.

In short, the study has demonstrated that some practices and technologies have the potential for out and up-scaling livestock integration into diverse production systems in the context of climate change among smallholder farmers. The selection of practices also ensures 1) enhanced livelihood contribution 2) equitable distribution of livestock, and 3) climate compatibility. The selected practices and technologies include:

1.  Controlled grazing and scavenging feeding systems

2.  Construction of raised goat houses (kraal)

3.  Fencing irrigated areas while providing access to water points for increased synergy with irrigation farming

4.  Establishment of drug boxes

5.  Livestock diversification at household level with priority species being indigenous goats and chickens which were more equitably distributed than any other livestock species. Additionally, goats are high disease resistant and easy to feed, provided water, sell and secure.

It is in view of the results from this study thatthe following recommendations were made:

1.  There is need to use appropriate livestock species in order to meet the intended objectives of the intervention. For instance, goats and poultry, preferably indigenous breeds,are ideal for increasing household resilience to climate change among smallholder farmers.

2.  There is need to improve livestock diversity in the study areas in order to make the usability of livestock as a tool for adapting to climate change more effective.

3.  To address the problem of livestock diseases in the CADECOM impact areas or beyond, it is suggested that:

a.  There should be a stronger collaboration with the government veterinary health workers responsible for the areas (Public Private Partnership model).

b.  To complement limited Government human resource in veterinary services, use of Community Animal Health Workers should be enhanced in the region. These should be empowered to operate on business, profit oriented model rather than mere cost recovery model.

c.  Existing drug boxes must be revived, and farmers should be appropriately trained in drug box concept (underlying principles) and the training should be offered by the project implementers in collaboration with government officers.

4.  Irrigation agriculture and livestock production should be seen as complementary activities, and efforts should be made to integrate the two to ensure utilisation of the potential synergy between the two. Some of the possible improvements include:

a.  Facilitating establishment of by-laws to collectively reserve certain watering points for use by livestock.Village Development Committee and Chiefs should take a leading role in close collaboration with Government officers and project implementers should actively participate in the process.

b.  Where resources exist, promoting fencing around the cultivated field only but leaving the water points outside the fence so that they are also easily accessible to livestock.

c.  Strengthening livestock farmers’relationship with people owning irrigated fields in “Dambo” to supply the latter with manure in exchange for rights to use the latter’s crop residues and crop by-products where possible, instead of having the residues burnt.

d.  Promote a culture of feed conservation during period of plenty (from rain-fed and irrigable lands) to supplement during period of scarcity. This is especially for cattle and goats, utilising both from irrigable and rain fed cropping.

5.  The promotion of indigenous livestock breeds’ calls for the need to facilitate community based breeding programs (farmer based selection of breeding stock) that will provide improved but adapted local livestock breeds and enhance breed development to increase yield and adaptation to local environments.

6.  A shift towards livestock intensification for some species, especially cattle need to be integral component of the program. This will allow proper integration into the crop-irrigation – livestock system.

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1  BACKGROUND

1.1  Project overview

The Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) and the Catholic Development Commission (CADECOM) partnered in a project called “increasing Food Security, Income and Resilience to Climate Change in Southern Malawi” in order to document replicable livestock practices that can be used for climate change adaptation fromCADECOM project impact areas in Chikhwawa and Dedza. The project seeks to document and share best practices in climate change mitigation and adaptation practices or technologies based on field work experience and lessons for duplication and scaling up. Documentation on livestock adaptation practices had a goal to integrate livestock sector related practices into the broader conceptfor the climate change adaptation.

1.2  Understanding of replicable climate change adaptation practices

The aforementioned project aims at increasing food security, income and resilience to climate change among households in selected districts in Southern Malawi by developing and implementing interventions that lead to 1) sustainable food, and related to that, nutrition security, 2) increasing contribution to household income from the interventions, and 3) are climate change compatible. In addition, such interventions have to be compatible and integratedinto the existing or slightly modified production systems while ensuring enhanced equity of distribution of outputs and benefits to include even the less privileged members of the communities.