agriculture 17 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Launches Nationwide Livestock Emissions Study to Boost Productivity and Cut GHGs
The Ugandan government, via a World Bank-funded project, is setting up a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system to measure livestock emissions accurately, aiming to reduce greenhouse gases without shrinking the country's 14.5 million cattle herd. Experts highlight interventions like breed improvement and manure management to achieve higher productivity and climate resilience. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/farming/govt-starts-nationwide-study-on-livestock-emissions-5427164
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has kicked off a nationwide initiative under the Uganda Climate Smart Agriculture Transformation Project, funded by the World Bank. This project focuses on creating a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to tackle emissions from livestock, which account for roughly 20% of Uganda’s total greenhouse gases.
With 14.5 million cattle as per the 2021 UBOS census, the sector is vital but emission-heavy, mainly from methane, nitrous oxide, and CO2. Traditional IPCC estimation methods tie emission cuts to herd reductions, threatening livelihoods, so Uganda is shifting to direct measurements.
Dr. Emmanuel Zziwa from FAO’s Climate Change team stressed that the MRV system will track intervention impacts, supporting sustainable production. Key strategies include artificial insemination for better breeds and converting cattle dung into biogas.
Dr. Ibrahim Wanyama of ILRI pointed to manure management as crucial, turning it into fertilizer while curbing emissions. Prof. Samuel Majalija from the National Livestock Resources Research Institute noted it will provide Uganda-specific data to guide feeding and management practices.
About $150,000 is allocated for the system, with pilot case studies in southwestern Uganda examining manure from cattle, goats, and sheep.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)