To meet the increasing demand for livestock and livestock products in Côte d’Ivoire, sedentary livestock farming in peri-urban areas is promoted; however, there is limited information on how these farmers manage production amid climate uncertainties. This study examined the livestock production system and evaluated farmers’ perceptions of climate risks, livestock feed gaps, and management practices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire with 126 cattle farmers across two locations (Bouaké and Toumodi) in Central Côte d'Ivoire. The locations were selected as case studies representing two contrasting settlement histories of sedentary herding systems: Bouaké, with a non-pastoral tradition, and Toumodi, with a pastoral tradition. Overall, 98% of farmers reported using common grazing resources, with 70% practicing continuous year-round grazing. The most commonly perceived climate risks were decreased rainfall (94%) and increased temperatures (82%), which often led to frequent livestock feed gaps (88%) and negative impacts on livestock productivity (e.g., weight losses, mortality). Moreover, our logistic regression models revealed that perceptions of climate hazards and the occurrence of new diseases were location-specific (P < 0.01), but the latter perception was attributed to increased herd movement to access water and forage. A high perception of climate risk was a greater concern across herders, regardless of the settlement history. However, the proportion perceiving low climate risk was generally higher among those with additional cropping activities, though this finding was inconclusive due to the small sample of mixed crop-livestock farms (25%). The primary management strategy to address feed gaps was increased mobility, which was more prevalent among herders in Toumodi (77%) with a pastoral tradition than among herders in Bouaké (∼50%) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, an exploratory latent class analysis of coping and adaptation strategies revealed that a subgroup of herders in Bouaké (42%) is not aware of significant innovative practices, making them a key target for support. We conclude that future climate adaptation efforts should prioritize underrepresented regions by considering the specific production characteristics of settled herders and by strengthening connections among livestock keepers, breeders, and agroecological contexts.
This article explores, based on local perceptions of the environment, the conditions that lead pastoralists to reinvent their farming practices—particularly through crossbreeding and diversification of activities—in a context marked by a strong presence of development projects. By combining qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews, ethnographic observation, and photo-elicitation), this study shows (1) that the narratives of pastoralists and project stakeholders are intertwined around the decline of the bush; (2) that the projects are a component of the pastoralist’s world that allows them to consider the possibility of not transhuming by gaining access to various resources (fodder, employment, etc.); and that (3) in the context of declining biodiversity and the implementation of projects, some pastoralists are considering to reframe their herding practices to be able to meet their needs during the dry season. This reinvention of herding practices is offset by crossbreeding local Gobra cows with Guzerat bulls from Brazil and by diversifying activities beyond livestock farming. These strategies are part of an adaptation to the environmental, economic, and political context while also meeting symbolic aspects valued by the pastoralists.
This study evaluated the nutritional composition, digestibility, and seasonal dynamics of indigenous cattle forage resources in the pastoral and agro-pastoral systems of the Omo - Woito River belts, southern Ethiopia. A total of 371 households were surveyed, and forage samples from 20 key species - categorized as grasses, legumes, shrubs, and fodder trees - were analyzed for chemical composition and in vitro digestibility across wet and dry seasons. Perennial grasses, including Cenchrus ciliaris and Brachiaria mutica, yielded the highest dry matter (up to 11.2 t ha-1), whereas crude protein content and in vitro organic matter digestibility were significantly greater during the wet season (p < 0.01). Fiber fractions (NDF, ADF) increased markedly in the dry season, corresponding to reduced digestibility in grasses. In contrast, browse species such as Moringa stenopetala maintained high crude protein (23.5% DM) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (77.7%) during feed-scarce periods, underscoring their role as strategic protein and energy supplements. Strong positive correlations were observed between crude protein and digestibility measures (r > 0.81), while fiber fractions were negatively associated with digestibility. These findings highlight the complementary nutritional roles of indigenous forage functional groups and support the integration of drought-tolerant browse species into seasonal feeding regimes to improve feed quality and maintain feed availability under variable climatic conditions in semi-arid production systems.
Livestock production is crucial for the livelihoods of pastoral societies in Ethiopia, specifically in arid and semi-arid lowlands, where crop farming is limited. This study aimed to assess livestock production, productivity, and sustainability in pastoral systems in the Fentale District of Ethiopia. A mixed methods approach was employed, integrating household surveys (n = 344), key informant interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. The results showed that camels contributed the highest number of tropical livestock units (9.86), followed by cattle, indicating that multiple species diversification is a key adaptation strategy. Natural grazing provided 60% of the feed, but 99.7% of the households reported that they did not have enough feed. This problem was mostly because there was insufficient grazing (69%), and bush encroachment took over (31%). Water scarcity was identified as the major production constraint (63%), and in the dry season, livestock had to walk up to 4 hours to get water. Only 24.7% of the households used extension services, and 76% did not have access to veterinary clinics. However, 52% of the farmers did not benefit from livestock markets because they were too far away and had weak infrastructure. Traditional practices, such as herd mobility (47%), seasonal feed conservation (Kaloo system) (59%), and trait-based animal selection, were significant coping mechanisms. Thus, this study highlights the critical gaps in livestock productivity, extension services, and policy inclusion. Strengthening essential interventions and providing targeted support are important for enhancing and building more resilient and sustainable pastoral systems in Ethiopia.
