In my home country, Ethiopia, livestock are more than just a means of food production. They symbolize sustenance, cultural pride, and dignified livelihoods. I have also witnessed this complex relationship between people and livestock across East and southern Africa.
However, an unavoidable reality also remains: Livestock both contribute to and are increasingly affected by climate change, in the form of rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, feed shortages, and disease outbreaks. This creates a vicious cycle that threatens the very foundation of these livestock-dependent systems.
Farmers are often grappling with lower milk yields, poor animal health, and shrinking profits, even as demand for meat, milk, and eggs soars.
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About the author
Shimels Eshete Wassie
Shimels Eshete Wassie is a ruminant nutrition specialist with over 12 years of experience, including five years in international consultancy focused on climate change mitigation in the livestock sector. He has provided consultancy services for project design, implementation, and management, emphasizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
