The Ministry of Agriculture has warned farmers against feeding livestock with rice straw, saying it is contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Head of Climate Change and Livestock Sustainability at the Ministry of Agriculture Bernard Kimoro raised the concerns on Monday during a roundtable discussion with media and scientists at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
“I see people going to Mwea to buy the rice straws. You are actually increasing emissions,” Kimoro said.
He said the rice straws need to be allowed to rot to improve soil carbon.
Flooded rice fields emit methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
Within ruminants, cattle are the highest daily emitters on a per-animal basis, followed by sheep, goats and buffalos.
Statistics from the government show that Kenya’s total greenhouse gas emissions have increased from 56.8 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 1995 to 93.7 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2015.
Projections showed that the emissions will hit 143 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 as the country pursues its Vision 2030 development agenda.
The 2015 emissions represent an increase of 65.2 per cent over the period and less than 0.1 per cent of the 2015 global emissions, including land use, land use change and forestry.
In 2015, the leading source of emissions was agriculture at 40 per cent of the total national emissions, mostly livestock enteric fermentation, manure left on pasture and agriculture and fertiliser application.
This was closely followed by land use, land use change and forestry at 38 per cent due to deforestation and energy, including transport at 18 per cent.
Kimoro cited the African foxtail as one of the grasses that the ministry has recommended for use.
He said at times, there is no grass at the right time, impacting negatively on production as well as contributing to the impact of climate change through emissions.
“We are also encouraging communities to be able to preserve some of the grasses so that they reseed when there is precipitation,” Kimoro said.
Kimoro said there are several projects that the ministry has rolled out to ensure that some of the grasses that enhance productivity while reducing emissions are adopted.
The official said Kenya has a system of introducing new grass into the country.
Kimoro said the process must be given the green light by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis).
Kephis is the government parastatal whose responsibility is to assure the quality of agricultural inputs and produce to prevent adverse impacts on the economy, the environment, and human health.
Kimoro said the quality of feeds must meet prescribed standards.
“We are looking at reduction of greenhouse gases and the quality of feeds,” he said.
Experts said poor feeding is the most significant contributor to dismal animal performance.
They said feeding accounts for up to 70 per cent of the cost involved in milk production and currently, roughages, the main diet comprised of natural grasses and crop residues often low in nutrients, especially energy and protein vital for good animal performance.
According to ILRI, brachiaria grass is a high quality fodder that is tolerant to drought, recovers fast after harvest and is tasty to the animals.
ILRI Alliance, livestock and climate change initiative scientist Solomon Mwendia said farmers do not have the idea of fodder value.
Mwendia said farmers must plan and procure forages that enhance productivity other than just using crop residues which have very low quality and proteins that are converted into milk or meat.
Researchers and experts will present and discuss the role of livestock systems in African climate strategies, including opportunities for adaptation to preserve food security and livelihoods, as well as ways to reduce livestock-related emissions.
ILRI’s Mazingira Centre, where research into livestock emissions and environmental impact is carried out, will also be open to journalists.
The roundtable took place ahead of the African Climate Action Summit, which will be held during Africa Climate Week in September.
Topics covered included the impact of climate change on African livestock systems, including the ongoing drought and strategies for reducing loss and damage within the livestock sector.
Others included the future of pastoralism and sustainable rangeland management and the role of livestock in national climate strategies and negotiations ahead of climate talks scheduled for Dubai later this year.
In 2016, Kenya ratified the Paris Agreement.
The country has since submitted the Nationally Determined Contributions, with a commitment to reduce emissions by 32 per cent against a business-as-usual scenario by 2030.
NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The Paris Agreement requires each party to prepare, communicate and maintain successive NDCs that it intends to achieve.
Parties shall pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving the objectives of such contributions.
Kenya’s NDC commits to enhancing resilience in all sectors of the economy.
Agriculture, energy, manufacturing, transport, waste and forestry are some of the sectors the government intends to use to curb emissions.
The country needs $62 billion (approximately Sh6.710 trillion) to mitigate and adapt to the impact of climate change between 2020 and 2030.
Aware that forests will play a key role, the government has pledged to increase its cover by growing 15 billion trees by 2032 at a cost of Sh600 billion.
Source: The Star