Abstract
The economy of Swaziland is depended on agriculture. In 2009, it was reported that agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing contributed 42% of Swaziland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Besides economic importance, animal agriculture is important for food production and life sustenance. It is also viewed as a symbol of wealth and high social status particularly for the rural folks. Despite the merits of agricultural activities, agricultural production, particularly animal production, has been incriminated for an accelerated emission of greenhouse gases. These gases are responsible for global warming and climate change. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of animal agriculture to greenhouse gases production and to elicit adaptation strategies to climate change and the role of modern technologies as mitigating measures. The minor and major greenhouse gases produced by farm animals were computed using the IPCC spread sheet for calculation of greenhouse gases emissions. The minor greenhouse gases produced by farm animals were NOx and CO2 and the major gasses included CH4 and N2O. The greenhouse gas that was emitted the most by farm animals was CH4, 24 Gg or 600 CO2e per annum. Ruminants were the major producers of methane. The producers of the least greenhouse gases emissions were non ruminants. Livestock produced 0.87 Gg of N2O per annum, a global warming potential of 259 CO2e. Feeding ammoniated straw and silage inoculating with transgenic rumen bacteria, animal breeding and manure storage techniques, use of biogas digester with methane gas recovery and emphasis on non ruminant production were possible strategies that could be employed to reduce greenhouse gases production from the livestock sector. It was recommended that feed preservation technologies, selection strategies, water harvesting, storage and recycling strategies and intensive livestock production systems could be used as adaptation strategies to climate change in livestock production.
Highlights
Swaziland is located in south eastern Africa, sandwiched between Mozambique on the eastern part and South Africa on the other parts covering an area of about 17,400 km2
Livestock production data were obtained from the Livestock Census Unit, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and Swaziland Dairy Board (SDB)
The overall contribution of animal production to the economy was about 1% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and the major animal species raised in Swaziland are cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, equines and poultry [10]
Summary
Swaziland is located in south eastern Africa, sandwiched between Mozambique on the eastern part and South Africa on the other parts covering an area of about 17,400 km. Like many countries in the developing world, the economy of Swaziland is depended on agriculture. In 2009, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Swaziland was estimated at US $3.59 billion and a gross per capita income of US $3108 (2008 estimates). The annual growth rate for the country has ranged from 2.0% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2003 and 1.2% in 2009. In 2009, the contribution of agriculture to the GDP was 8.4% and this has decreased from 13% in 1989. Manufacturing’s contribution has been relatively higher, about 42.4% in 2009. It should be noted that about 70% of the manufacturing industry is agro-based, indicating that the contribution by the agricultural sector could be much higher than 8.4% [2]
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