Investing in water to support livestock sector growth in sub-Saharan Africa

Prepared by

D. Peden, A. Freeman, A. Astatke,

A. Notenbaert, D. Sheikh, and

A. Workalemahu

International Livestock Research Institute

For the session on

Investing in Africa’s Water Future

(20 August 2004)

2004 World Water Week in Stockholm

Investing in water to support livestock sector growth in sub-Saharan Africa

World Water Week

BBC – 16 August 2004 - Stockholm

A widely held view:

“… growth in demand for meat and dairy products is unsustainable”

Investing in water to support livestock sector growth in sub-Saharan Africa

But, evidence suggests:

• Investing in water for livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa may be one of the most effective options to help:

– Reduce poverty – Overcome vulnerability of the poor. – Increase water productivity.

• Increasing production of annual crops, not grazing, is the leading cause of soil loss and siltation in SSA.• Effort to increase water productivity of livestock has been neglected.

Outline

• Reasons to invest in water for livestock.

• Livestock water productivity framework.

• Where to invest in water for livestock.

• Investment options for two example water development domains.

• Some general lessons learned.

Reasons to invest in water for livestock

• Help achieve MDGs (2015): – 50% cut in poverty– 50% cut in hunger.

• Safeguard assets: livestock ownership is a key indicator of poverty.

• Enable child nutrition for physical & mental growth.• Enable access to expanding urban markets for

high value animal products.• Protect water resources through better animal

husbandry.• Support animal power: an alternative to petroleum.• Increase water productivity.

Reasons to invest in water for livestock

Trends to 2025Meat & Milk consumption in SSA expected to increase

Country

group

Annual growth

(%)

Per capita consumption (Kg/person)

Meat Developed 0.6 83 Developing 2.8 30

SSA 3.5 11

Milk Developed 0.2 189

Developing 3.3 62

SSA 3.8 30 Source: Delgado et al., 1999

The “Hungry” world will still eat less meat!

•Ethics•Demand

•Distribution

Discharge/floodExport

Plant production

Animalproduction

Ground

A V

A I

L A

B L

E

W

A T

E R

DRIN

K

Ground & soil water recharge

Rain

Surface In flow

Evaporation

Degradation

Trees

Pasture/range

Food crops

Feed

Imported feed

Grazing & watering

Feed Sourcing

Framework for improving water productivity of livestock

Livestock play multiple roles that affect water productivity

Where to invest in water for livestock

Toward Water Development Domains (WDD):• Relatively homogenous bio-physical and socio-

economic conditions having similar opportunities for interventions and investments.

• Combines human density, predicted market access, livestock (agricultural) production systems, and availability of discretionary water.

• A broad-brush approach ultimately requiring bottom-up involvement of local people and institutions.

Where to invest in water for livestock? 24 Suggested water Development Domains

Ag. Production systems

Available Discretionary water Market access

Human pop. density

3

22

2

• Eliminate 8 trivial units• Add towns & cities

24

Water development

domains

Where to invest in water for livestock?

17

Water development domain:Example 1

• Mixed crop-livestock

• High pop. density

• Good market access

• Low availability of Discretionary water

Mixed crop-livestockHigh pop. DensityGood market accessDiscretionary water low

SSA: No. of countries 40

Area (km2 millions) 1.4

Population 2002 (millions) 221

Population 2030 (millions) 381

TLUs (millions) 37

Nigeria

RwandaKenyaUgandaBurundi

Ethiopia

Example Water Development Domain(Small area, but many users compete for water)

Example Water Development Domain

Mixed crop-livestockHigh pop. DensityGood market accessDiscretionary water low

Ethiopia

Ethiopian part of domain: Area (km2 millions) 0.13

Population 2002 (millions) 21.4

Population 2030 (millions) 43.3

TLUs (millions) 6.4

Example Water Development Domain

Mixed crop-livestockHigh pop. DensityGood market accessDiscretionary water low

Ethiopia

Annual cropping – the primary source of soil loss in Ethiopia

Area (%)

Soil loss (%)

Annual cropland

13 45

Grazing land

51 21

Annual cropping, not overgrazing, is the

major source of siltation, excessive

flooding and soil loss

Source: Hurni, 1989

• Main pathways out of poverty:• Securing assets, production, income

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

• Some key Issues:• Extreme poverty & hunger• Access to quality water & feed• Drought & vulnerability• Siltation of reservoirs• Inefficient use of water• Water borne diseases

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

Priority water investment options:• Example technologies:

– Including drinking troughs in existing and planned dams, ponds & diversions.– Design water harvesting with feed production options by using catchment production and food-feed crops.– Piped water for smallholder dairying.

• Institutions:– Support for Community-based IWRM– Water institutions could partner with livestock and other sectors in planning water infra-structure development.

Complementary non-water investment options:

• Example technologies:– Conservation tillage– Zero-grazing– Control of helminthes (fasciola) & snails

• Institutions:– Support for Community-based NRM– Marketing mechanisms (eg., Dairy coops)

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

• Example policy options– Encourage collective and joint management of water and grazing resources.– Development institutions accept legitimacy of the “livestock production option”.– Water pricing & demand management– Zoning for animal keeping.– Market development

Example impacts:• Smallholder milk production in

Kenya:– Piped water enabled 60% increase productivity per cow.

• Conservation tillage in SSA:– reduced use of oxen could reduce water used for feed by 20 billion m3/yr assuming 50% comes from residue.

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

• Increased water productivity by feeding crop residue to animals because no extra water is used.

WDD: Crop-livestock, High pop. density, Good market, Little H20

Teff for feed

Feed source H2O depleted

(m3/TLU/year)

Crop residue only 0

Forage crops only 450

• But, protect soil by returning some residue and manure.

Water development domain:Example 2 - Briefly

• Livestock dominant & few or no crops

• Low pop. density

• Poor market access

• Low availability of Discretionary water

Water development domain: Example 2

Primarily GrazingLow pop. DensityPoor market accessLittle discretionary water

No. of countries 44 Area (km2 millions) 5 Population 2002 (millions) 32 Population 2030 (millions) 63 TLUs (millions) 37

Main pathway out of poverty:• Securing assets• Reducing vulnerability

WDD: Grazing, Low pop. density, Poor market, Little H20

• Good years: cattle increase up to 90/HH.• Drought years: about half die.• Most kept for wealth and drought insurance.• Only 18/HH needed for food and income.• Limiting herd size to 18/HH could:

– save one billion m3 year (1000 micro-dams)

– save feed to support animals in dry years.

• Rainwater “saved” can help restore biodiversity, sequester carbon & provide ecosystem services.

• Policy and institutions needed.

Borana PlateauEthiopia

90,000 km2

325,000 people1,000,000 cattle

Example demand management option:

Some lessons learned

• Opportunities lost because of lack of integration of livestock into water planning and development.

• Investing in water for livestock may be an effective option to help reduce poverty and overcome vulnerability of the poor.

• Needs:– Multi-sectoral & multi-regional approach.– Balanced mix of supply & demand management.– Effective use of existing technology and knowledge.– Effective inclusion of communities and all stakeholders.– Gender and ethnic equity.

• This does not mean simply increasing meat consumption to the level of “western diets”.

• Significant increases in water productivity possible.• Investments in livestock largely complementary.

Thank you