Addressing enteric methane to strengthen livestock climate actions in Kenya

Livestock plays a significant role in Kenya’s economy and livelihoods, contributing to the agricultural gross domestic product and providing income, food security, and employment to millions of Kenyans. However, the livestock sub-sector is affected by climate change, with long droughts that result in high animal mortality. At the same time, the sub-sector contributes a large share to Kenya’s greenhouse gas emissions in the form of enteric methane.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya are teaming up for a series of events to boost climate action in the livestock sector. Under the FAO project "Creating the enabling environment for enhanced climate ambition and action," funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the event will host two consecutive activities. First, a third stocktaking workshop will delve into identifying key interventions to curb enteric methane emissions from Kenya's livestock systems. Second, a hands-on training session will focus on assessing greenhouse gas emissions using Tier 2, aiming to bolster climate initiatives within the country's livestock industry.

Background

Kenya is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions through its nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The country has developed an ambitious NDC strategy that includes comprehensive actions across multiple sectors, including livestock and agriculture. It commits to lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent by 2030 relative to the business-as-usual scenario, in line with the sustainable development agenda.

However, to successfully achieve its NDC targets, there is a need for policy alignment and integration across all sectors, including livestock. Existing policies, strategies, and legal frameworks governing the livestock sector need to be critically analyzed and potentially revised to ensure they support the country's climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. This necessitates a comprehensive stocktaking of existing livestock policies to identify areas of alignment with the NDC and gaps where further alignment is essential. The process entails an understanding of the status of these policies, challenges faced, mitigation potential, and opportunities for improvement.

Furthermore, it is crucial to equip national stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, and non-government organizations, with knowledge and skills to conduct the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions using the Tier 2 approach of the IPCC and monitor progress made on the implementation of mitigation interventions.

FAO and Kenya’s collaborative efforts and progress

Acknowledging the pivotal role of livestock policies in advancing comprehensive climate action, FAO and the State Department for Livestock Development within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya have been collaborating since 2021 on conducting the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions of the livestock sector and identifying more options to reduce enteric methane emissions, thus increasing the ambition of livestock-related commitments in the NDC.

In December 2022, a first national stakeholder consultation was held in Nakuru, Kenya to discuss both livestock and climate policies and options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2023, a second national workshop was organized to examine national livestock policies and identify gaps and challenges to align them with Kenya's NDC. Throughout the event, participants delved into an analysis of existing national livestock policies, pinpointing areas of deficiency and obstacles to realign these policies with Kenya's NDC. It was also an opportunity to further discuss the integration of specific livestock interventions and targets in the future NDC.

About the workshop

To compile and document the outcomes of the stakeholder review, a third workshop on the stocktaking will be held between November 13 and 14, 2023, in Naivasha, Kenya. The aim is to complete the initial analysis and finalize a comprehensive stocktake report that assesses the roles and effectiveness of policies and institutional arrangements to facilitate the implementation of Kenya's NDC in the livestock sector. The report will also highlight identified gaps and opportunities for strengthening alignment and propose mitigation interventions and targets in alignment with national development plans. This report will serve as a valuable resource to guide the Government of Kenya in enhancing policy alignment and promoting livestock climate-smart practices that contribute to climate change mitigation and resilience in Kenya.

About the training

A three-day hands-on training is scheduled to take place from November 15 to 17, 2023, in Naivasha, Kenya, to enhance the awareness and technical capacity of personnel from both national and county governments, as well as other livestock stakeholders, including academia, civil society, non-government organizations, and the private sector. Through the training, participants will gain insights into the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions using Tier 2 approaches, an understanding of enteric methane emissions, application of tools, and enhancement of the sector's adaptation to climate change.