Inventory of GHG Emissions from Dairy Cattle in Kenya 1995-2017

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development

Download

Abstract: Considering the importance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock in Kenya?s agriculture GHG inventory, the State Department of Livestock (SDL) has taken the initiative to compile Kenya?s livestock inventory using a Tier 2 approach. Since 2015, SDL has been working with stakeholders to develop a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action for the dairy sector. It was decided to first implement the Tier 2 approach in the GHG inventory for dairy cattle. It is intended that this will strengthen Kenya?s ability to measure, report and verify emissions and emission reductions from future initiatives to develop the dairy sector. This report will inform compilation of the GHG inventory in Kenya?s Third National Communication to the UNFCCC, being prepared in 2019. The dairy industry is Kenya?s single largest agricultural sub-sector. It contributes 14% of agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) and 3.5% of total GDP. Total milk production from dairy cows in 2017 was about 2 billion litres. Per capita milk consumption in 2010 was about 100 litres per year, but is projected to reach 220 litres by 2030, with total milk demand of 12 billion litres by 2030 (SDL 2013). Most dairy cattle are raised by smallholders, in zero-grazing (i.e. stall-fed) feeding systems, mixed stallfed and grazing systems, or grazing only feeding systems. Because it is an important source of both nutrition and income for the rural population, the dairy cattle population has been increasing continuously in recent decades, from 3.25 million in 1995 to almost 4.6 million in 2017. However, average milk yield remains low.