Livestock water productivity: implications for sub-Saharan Africa

摘要: Water is essential for agriculture including livestock. Given increasing global concern that access to agricultural water will constrain food production and livestock uses degrades too much water, there compelling need better understanding of the nature livestock–water interactions. Inappropriate animal management along with poor cropping practices often contributes widespread severe depletion, degradation contamination water. In developed countries, diverse environmental organisations increasingly voice concerns a major cause land degradation. Thus, they call reduced production. Such views generally fail consider their context, applicability implications developing countries. Two research programs, CGIAR ‘Comprehensive Assessment Management Agriculture’ ‘Challenge Program on Food’ have undertaken studies development, conservation in Drawing these this paper describes framework systematically identify key interactions suggests strategies improving especially mixed crop–livestock systems sub-Saharan Africa. contrast country experience, currently productivity compares favourably crop Yet, great opportunities remain further reduce domestic animals’ use continent. Integrating planning, development has potential help poverty, increase pressure environment scarce resources. Four involving technology, policy institutional interventions can achieve this. They are choosing feeds require relatively little conserving resources through management, applying well known tools from sciences production, strategic temporal spatial provisioning drinking Achieving integrated new ways thinking about, managing, by water- animal-science professionals.