Agriculture in Kenya is a key economic sector, contributing 24% to the GDP and 70% to the creation employment. Approximately 60% of the country’s agriculture sector is comprised of small-scale farms that are often highly heterogenous in cropping, fertiliser, livestock, and manure management strategies. We know that agricultural management strategies alter methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases – GHG) rates and patterns in large farming systems, but how management strategies affect GHG emissions from smallholder systems is still unknown.

This poster, prepared for the Tropentag 2014 conference, presents information on a systems approach used by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to characterise land-use and livestock production and to show how different management strategies and systems affect GHG emission rates. Preliminary results indicate that in situ emissions and emission potentials differed by geographical location, management and land classification.

This week, ILRI staff are participating in the Tropentag 2014 International Conference in Prague (17-19 September 2014). There is also a dedicated ‘ILRI@40’ side event on ‘Livestock-based options for sustainable food and nutritional security and healthy lives.’  See all the posters.