Heterogeneity in integration of greenhouse gas mitigating interventions among rural and Peri-urban smallholder dairy farms in Nakuru County, Kenya

Résumé

Dairy production is a priority livestock system for reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is a target of a number of GHG mitigating interventions (GHG-MI) recommendations. However, uncertainty exist regarding how smallholders are integrating these GHG-MI, which include improving feeding, breeding, health and welfare, and manure management. This study tested hypothesis that integration of GHG-MI is heterogeneous in smallholder dairy farms. A sample of 291 farms were obtained in a cross-sectional survey in rural and peri-urban wards around Nakuru city, Kenya. Frequency data on practicing a GHG-MI were subjected to Principal Component Analysis followed by Cluster Analysis to derive distinct clusters, resulting in three clusters: cluster one and two each comprising 36.8 % and cluster three 26.4 % of the farms. These were respectively labelled low (LM), average (AM) and high (HM) mitigating farms based on the number of GHG-MI frequently practiced by atleast half of the farms. The majority of the HM farms frequently practiced most of the GHG-MI and LM farms practiced the least. Out of 11 feeding practices examined, atleast 6 in 10 HM farms frequently practiced four whereas atleast 5 in 10 of AM or LM farms frequently practiced two. In examining selection for six traits, five were frequently selected by at least 8 in 10 of HM farms whereas atleast 5 in 10 of AM or LM farms only frequently selected two traits. Of seven good animal health and welfare practices examined, all were frequently practiced by atleast 6 in 10 of HM farms. Among AM and LM farms, atleast 5 in 10 practiced six good animal health and welfare. While dry-lot manure storage was only a frequent practice on AM farms, manure spreading on land was a more frequent practice across all clusters. These findings reveal that smallholder dairy farms are responsive to mitigating GHG emissions, however heterogeneity in their integration of GHG-MI warrants research to compare HM with the AM and LM farms. Feed additives and effective manure management should be entry points for extension service promoting climate-smart livestock interventions, because only a few farms used them, though are effective GHG-MI in dairy systems.

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