Silvo-pastoralism and agro-sylvo-pastoralism to help cope with climate change in West Africa

Abstract

Climate change poses a threat to livestock production due to its impact on animal performance and the availability of pastoral resources. Sylvo-pastoral and agro-sylvo-pastoral systems are solutions for reconciling sustainable livestock production and climate change. This document synthesizes the existing literature on the diversity of these livestock systems in savannah areas and coastal regions of West Africa, on their contributions to adaptation and mitigation of climate change, as well as to improving animal productivity and household food security. The results of this synthesis show that trees constitute food resources for animals during the lean period (absence of fodder generally extending from March to May), which improves their production. They also constitute real sources of mitigation to climate change.