Climate change has harmed the productivity of grasslands in Africa, threatening the livelihoods of millions on the continent.
In a new commentary in Nature, scientists from the Global Farm Platform said urgent action is needed to future-proof these ecosystems and make them more climate-resilient.
The Global Farm Platform is a community of collaborative practitioners investigating sustainable ruminant livestock systems around the world.
Grasslands cover nearly half of Africa’s land area, providing grazing for livestock, which 70% of rural African populations depend on for their livelihoods, as well as for wildlife. But as human populations increase, grasslands are increasingly being transformed into arable land and other uses, the authors said.
“The remaining grasslands often experience overgrazing due to livestock production, resulting in significant land degradation,” they said.
“This is exacerbated by climate change, with shifting weather patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events — for example drought and flooding — as well as the spread of invasive species and bush encroachment.”
Consequently there is a significant reduction in forage quality and quantity, increased livestock disease vulnerability and mortality rates, threatening regional food security.
“Given the importance of livestock production to smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Africa, we believe in adopting sustainable practices that could enhance the productivity of intensively and extensively managed African grasslands for economic, social, and environmental benefits.”
The concept of sustainable intensification, which calls for producing more food with less environmental damage, is at the heart of this approach.
Climate-smart technologies such as forage grass, legume and herb mixtures could enhance grassland productivity and resilience, offering a sustainable solution for African pasture-based livestock systems. These are designed to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health and increase resilience to climate-related stresses.
Research in temperate regions has shown that multispecies swards offer benefits such as improved forage yields, greater resource use efficiency and better resistance to pests and diseases. Despite their success in other parts of the world, research on multi-species swards in Africa remains limited.
Most studies on the continent have focused on monocultures or binary mixtures, leaving a gap in understanding how these complex plant mixtures might thrive in African conditions.
“We are calling for greater investment in reseeding Africa’s grasslands with more diverse species, which could help reverse land degradation while improving both ecological and economic outcomes,” said Theo Akpensuen, of Net Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, the lead author of the commentary.
“For instance, deep-rooted plants within these mixtures can access water deep underground during dry periods, while shallow-rooted species thrive after rainfall, enhancing productivity during all weather conditions.”
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The ecological benefits of multispecies swards extend beyond drought tolerance. They can improve water retention, reduce soil erosion and improve biodiversity.
Legumes, in particular, enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and promoting healthier ecosystems. These mixed grasslands can also boost animal health and productivity by providing higher-quality forage, which is essential for the region’s livestock.
With the right policies and investments, multispecies swards could play a crucial role in building climate resilience, enhancing food security and improving livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers across the continent.
But successful implementation depends on closing research gaps in areas such as species selection, fertilisation practices and assessing the economic value of multispecies systems in particular regions, the authors said.
“As Africa continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, it is clear that sustainable and resilient grassland systems will be key to securing a prosperous future for its people,” said Akpensuen.
The use of monocultures that require excessive use of fertilisers and herbicides has led to environmental degradation, the authors said. “Shifting to multispecies swards could mitigate these impacts, fostering resilient and eco-friendly grassland systems.”
limate change has harmed the productivity of grasslands in Africa, threatening the livelihoods of millions on the continent.
In a new commentary in Nature, scientists from the Global Farm Platform said urgent action is needed to future-proof these ecosystems and make them more climate-resilient.
The Global Farm Platform is a community of collaborative practitioners investigating sustainable ruminant livestock systems around the world.
Grasslands cover nearly half of Africa’s land area, providing grazing for livestock, which 70% of rural African populations depend on for their livelihoods, as well as for wildlife. But as human populations increase, grasslands are increasingly being transformed into arable land and other uses, the authors said.
“The remaining grasslands often experience overgrazing due to livestock production, resulting in significant land degradation,” they said.
“This is exacerbated by climate change, with shifting weather patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events — for example drought and flooding — as well as the spread of invasive species and bush encroachment.”
Consequently there is a significant reduction in forage quality and quantity, increased livestock disease vulnerability and mortality rates, threatening regional food security.
“Given the importance of livestock production to smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Africa, we believe in adopting sustainable practices that could enhance the productivity of intensively and extensively managed African grasslands for economic, social, and environmental benefits.”
The concept of sustainable intensification, which calls for producing more food with less environmental damage, is at the heart of this approach.
Climate-smart technologies such as forage grass, legume and herb mixtures could enhance grassland productivity and resilience, offering a sustainable solution for African pasture-based livestock systems. These are designed to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health and increase resilience to climate-related stresses.
Research in temperate regions has shown that multispecies swards offer benefits such as improved forage yields, greater resource use efficiency and better resistance to pests and diseases. Despite their success in other parts of the world, research on multi-species swards in Africa remains limited.
Most studies on the continent have focused on monocultures or binary mixtures, leaving a gap in understanding how these complex plant mixtures might thrive in African conditions.
“We are calling for greater investment in reseeding Africa’s grasslands with more diverse species, which could help reverse land degradation while improving both ecological and economic outcomes,” said Theo Akpensuen, of Net Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, the lead author of the commentary.
“For instance, deep-rooted plants within these mixtures can access water deep underground during dry periods, while shallow-rooted species thrive after rainfall, enhancing productivity during all weather conditions.”
The ecological benefits of multispecies swards extend beyond drought tolerance. They can improve water retention, reduce soil erosion and improve biodiversity.
Legumes, in particular, enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and promoting healthier ecosystems. These mixed grasslands can also boost animal health and productivity by providing higher-quality forage, which is essential for the region’s livestock.
With the right policies and investments, multispecies swards could play a crucial role in building climate resilience, enhancing food security and improving livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers across the continent.
But successful implementation depends on closing research gaps in areas such as species selection, fertilisation practices and assessing the economic value of multispecies systems in particular regions, the authors said.
“As Africa continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, it is clear that sustainable and resilient grassland systems will be key to securing a prosperous future for its people,” said Akpensuen.
The use of monocultures that require excessive use of fertilisers and herbicides has led to environmental degradation, the authors said. “Shifting to multispecies swards could mitigate these impacts, fostering resilient and eco-friendly grassland systems.”
