Harnessing livestock for climate action and food security: A strategic opportunity for Africa and the Global South

Livestock systems are central to food security, rural development and economic growth across the Global South. In Africa, where livestock systems contribute up to 40% of agricultural GDP, climate change increasingly threatens the productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers and pastoralists. Moreover, livestock production also generates approximately 12% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—primarily methane, a highly potent GHG that is about 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 20-year period. Notably, G20 countries account for more than 50% of global livestock emissions.