Is thE LIVEstOCk sECtOR IN sOuthERN AFRICA PREPAREd FOR CLIMAtE ChANGE?

The document examines the vulnerability of Southern Africa's livestock sector to increasing temperatures and erratic rainfall, highlighting the severe impact of the 2015/2016 drought. It argues that while regional frameworks like the SADC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan exist, implementation remains sporadic and donor-driven. The author advocates for a shift toward indigenous, drought-tolerant breeds—such as Nguni cattle—and the implementation of dedicated support systems for small-scale farmers to ensure food security and sustainable production.

• Southern Africa is projected to experience temperature increases between 1.5°C and 3°C, alongside reduced annual rainfall and more intense weather extremes like droughts and floods.
• The 2015/2016 drought, linked to El Niño, was the driest season in 35 years for the region, resulting in an estimated loss of 643,000 cattle and leading to national drought disaster declarations in Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
• Climate change impacts livestock through direct heat stress—which reduces feed intake, growth, and reproduction in beef and dairy cattle—and indirect effects such as reduced pasture quality and the spread of pests and parasites.
• Small ruminants, particularly goats, are more resilient to the expected hot and dry conditions than cattle or sheep due to lower metabolic rates and better water retention.
• Indigenous Sanga breeds, such as Nguni, Tuli, and Tswana cattle, are preferred for adaptation because of their fertility, longevity, and ability to utilize low-quality feeds.
• Small-scale livestock farmers are at high risk due to their reliance on rain-fed pastures and limited access to capital, yet they are critical to the region's food security as they manage three-quarters of the livestock population.
• Regional and national climate responses have been characterized as uncoordinated, sporadic, and largely donor-driven, with poor policy implementation despite the creation of the 2015 SADC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

APA

dzama, K. (2016). Is thE LIVEstOCk sECtOR IN sOuthERN AFRICA PREPAREd FOR CLIMAtE ChANGE? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-153.pdf

Chicago

dzama, Kennedy. Is thE LIVEstOCk sECtOR IN sOuthERN AFRICA PREPAREd FOR CLIMAtE ChANGE? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-153.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=dzama |first1=Kennedy |title=Is thE LIVEstOCk sECtOR IN sOuthERN AFRICA PREPAREd FOR CLIMAtE ChANGE? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-153.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dzama2016livestock, author = {dzama, Kennedy}, title = {{Is thE LIVEstOCk sECtOR IN sOuthERN AFRICA PREPAREd FOR CLIMAtE ChANGE?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-153.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }