An Inception Workshop on Strengthening Adaptive Capacity of Extensive Livestock Systems for Food and Nutrition Security and Low -emissions Conducted

Different stakeholders and partners : the University of Gondar, Addis Ababa University, and others who work as researchers, policy makers, pastoraland breeding experts participated in the workshop.

The Managing Director of UNIQUE Land use (an international Consulting company based in Germany) Dr Timm Tenningkeit addressed that Ethiopia has tremendous research experiences in adaptive livestock system , climate change mitigation strategies and other related issues.

Therefore, the newly incepted project will benefit the participant countries in scaling up livestock production innovation with low emissions and ensuring food and nutrition security.

Research works on losses of young stocks,underhealth and mastitis and challenges of community based breeding program were presented at the workshop by different scholars. Besides, issues of livestock interventions on food and nutrition security, adaptive capacity and geenhouse gas emissions were also focus of the workshop.

As Dr Shimels Wassie, from the UNIQUE Land use Company stated ,the project is special because it focuses how effective are the interventions done so far by different research projects on adaptation of livestock system, mitigation of greenhouse gas emission and food security in Ethiopia. It also intends how the three issues are interrelated.

“Incorporating UoG as a partner adds tremendous value to the project because the university has done a lot on animal breeding , animal health and climate change related issues” Dr Shimes added.

In the presentation, he remarked that as important as it is , livestock production has negative impacts on climate change, yet it is neglected issue. As he stated, some animals release methane gas through manure,urine or during exhalarion,and this gas causes GHG emission. This gas that is released from the animals is energy. Therefore, Dr shimels explained that it is possible to make the animals use this energy and get more animal products like meat and milk. This helps to mitigate the gas effect on climate change while increasing animal products.

Besides, Dr Tsegaw Fentie( Instructor and researcher at UoG) , stated in his presentation that about 50% of the young stock is exposed to mortality in Ethiopia. As he said young stock mortality is associated with diseases, malnutrition, mismanagement, and environmental effects. Preventing the diseases,improving animal management and feeding system are suggested to minimize the mortality of young stocks.

Dr Shemelis Dagnachew( Dean of Veterinary Medicine and science College,UoG) also said that the collaboration of the University with the project will create good opportunities for the advancement of capacity buildings, strengthening postgraduate programs and researches.

Finally,a panel fiscussion was held to prioritize research topics which are to be conducted by postgraduate students with the funding support of the project. Based on the discussion, Community based breeding program and animal health interventions were selected as research areas.