Adaptation to climate change in mixed crop-livestock farming systems in developing countries

摘要

Globally, crop-livestock systems produce over 90% of the world's milk supply and 80% of the meat from ruminants. Mixed crop-livestock systems are particularly important for livelihoods and food security, as they provide most of the staples consumed by poor people. These systems will be under considerable pressure in the coming decades to help satisfy the burgeoning demand for food from rapidly increasing populations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where rural poverty and hunger are already concentrated. At the same time, the impacts of climate change will be increasingly heavily felt. Increases in temperatures and changes in the amounts and patterns of rainfall are expected, and increased frequency and intensity of climate shocks such as drought, flooding and extreme temperatures are already occurring. The full range of climate change impacts on the mixed crop-livestock systems of the tropics is not well understood, particularly in relation to impacts on food security and vulnerability. There are many ways in which the mixed systems can adapt to climate change, including via increased efficiencies of production that sometimes provide mitigation co-benefits as well. Despite the enormity of the development challenge, effective adaptation in the mixed systems as elsewhere will be inextricably entwined with reducing poverty and enhancing food security, and with the provision of an enabling policy, infrastructural and information environment.