Making technologies available to smallholder mixed crop–livestock farmers to grow fodder can increase milk yields and quality in an environmentally sustainable manner. Hyderabad, India. (photo credit: ILRI/Stevie Mann)

In 2015–2016, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and partners revealed extraordinary findings that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cattle in Kenya maybe up to 10 times lower than previous estimates, clearly making the case for improving Africa-specific understanding of GHG emissions to develop better-targeted climate change mitigation and adaption strategies. Taking this research one step further, working with governments and other civil society partners, offers opportunities to bring about change in international policies benefitting smallholder farmers, as was shown with the passing of the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution on combatting climate change. Moreover, translating research in a favourable policy environment paves the way for capacity building that can translate into the mass scaling of the sustainable intensification of farming.