Tackling GHG Emissions from Livestock in Punjab, Pakistan

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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN REDUCING METHANE EMMISSION IN PAKISTANI LIVESTOCK & DAIRY SECTOR

Situational Analysis: 

Pakistan has consistently ranked among the top ten most climate vulnerable countries in the world in the Global Climate Risk Index (source: GERMANWATCH), with implications for both humans and animals. The rural poor are the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate-change. 

The major risks from climate-change include draughts and devastating floods, which will put local livestock farming under stress. Global warming and high temperatures will increase the heat stress of animals. Water and feed sources will reduce, which will put an increasing pressure on the livestock raised under grazing and non-grazing systems and the productivity of livestock will drop. Impact of climate-change on quality and quantity of fodder will increase the cost of raising animals, making it hard for the rural farmers to sustain. Change in weather will alter pathogens, which will cause increased emergence of diseases and epidemics, causing the loss in productivity and disease related mortalities can increase among the farm animals. 

Target Indicators: 

Introducing Climate-Smart Livestock in Punjab will reduce GHG emissions from animals. The climate-smart livestock refers to a set of development strategies for the livestock of Punjab. These strategies which will help reduce GHG emissions, improve farmers’ ability to adjust to the environmental shift and protect farmers and their animals from the adverse effects of climate-change. 

The strategies for the reduction in GHG emissions will revolve around: 

  • Introduction of better husbandry practices 
  • Improved breeds, vertical expansion of animals instead of horizontal expansion 
  • Improvement in quality of feed and usage of feed supplements 
  • Better manure management.

Implementing climate-smart livestock strategies depends on: 

  • An efficient and effective livestock innovation system with a strong research function that innovates climate-smart technologies and develop knowledge banks
  • Effective mechanism for adoptive research and technology transfer
  • Robust extension services capable of disseminating knowledge and information to farmers - particularly to the rural farmers of Punjab
  • A strong productivity and disease reporting system capable of forecasting trends and identifying climate-change related vulnerabilities in various regions of the province

Policy Measures from L&DD Department:

  1. Strengthen the livestock extension services.
  2. Develop climate-resilient livestock breeds.
  3. Promote climate-smart livestock development strategies including better husbandry practices, improved breeds, and improved quality of feed and usage of feed supplements.
  4. Encourage farmers to use appropriate feed mixes and additives to reduce methane production from enteric fermentation / digestion.
  5. Improve manure and compost management practices.

Actions by L&DD to tackle GHG Emissions:

After reviewing the sector-wise interventions/ measures stipulated in the National Climate Change Policy, with respect to the interventions related to livestock sector, L&DD Department Punjab is performing following actions to attain the requisite results, which include:

  1. Plantation drives at different livestock facilities and farms, which will provide cover to the animal from heat and take carbon dioxide out of atmosphere to tackle climate crises. 
  2. Reducing the number of unproductive animals through improvement in breeding and feed quality. The methane emitted by livestock depends on the number of animals, their digestive systems, and the feed they consume.
  3. Promoting feedlot fattening or use of compound feed increase the weight of animals at a younger age for slaughtering, which reduces the lifetime emission per animal proportionately fewer animals producing methane gas. 
  4. Provision of extension services and other farmer gatherings under Kissan Livestock Baithak program to aware the masses of best animal husbandry practices to reduce manure and its better management. 
  5. Proposed installation of biogas plants at livestock farms to convert the animal waste into renewable energy. So instead of methane being released in air, biogas plant harness it to produce energy. 

List of recent Projects to reduce Climate Change effects (L&DD Department):

  • Genetic Improvement of Non-Descript Cattle in through provision of exotic semen in Punjab
  • Strengthening of Extension Services in Punjab
  • Breed Improvement of Small Ruminants through Provision of Rams and Buck
  • Strengthening of Semen Production Units Karaniwala & Qadirabad for Increased Coverage of Breed-able Population in Punjab

List of Proposed Projects (L&DD Department):

  • Installation of Biogas Plants at Govt. Livestock Farms
  • Reduction in Methane emission through use of alternative feeding resources and capacity building of Livestock stakeholder of Punjab
  • Promotion of biomass fuel pallets from Livestock waste for sustainable energy in Punjab 

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