By adopting climate-resilient practices, Bangladesh’s livestock sector can mitigate environmental impacts, support rural economies, and strengthen food security amid climate challenges
Livestock farming in Bangladesh is facing increasing challenges due to climate change, including a steady reduction in grazing land, water scarcity, and the intensification of extreme weather events.
These issues threaten the sustainability of livestock production, with significant impacts on animal health, productivity, and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable practices are key to addressing these issues.
Strategies include improving feed quality, investing in climate-resilient breeds, enhancing disease prevention, conserving water resources, and advancing housing and waste management.
Training programs focused on adaptive farming techniques empower farmers to protect their livestock and livelihoods. By adopting climate-resilient practices, Bangladesh’s livestock sector can mitigate environmental impacts, support rural economies, and strengthen food security amid climate challenges.
A look at key issues
Due to climate change in Bangladesh, livestock farming is facing numerous challenges that threaten its sustainability and productivity. One of the most pressing issues is the diminishing grazing land, which is compounded by salinity, illegal land acquisition, and the expansion of cereal crop cultivation, all of which reduce the availability of natural grazing resources.
This problem is exacerbated by feed scarcity, as farmers struggle to access adequate fodder for their livestock. Additionally, water shortage has become a critical concern, particularly due to the depletion of freshwater sources from saline intrusion, which affects the quality and availability of water for livestock in the coastal and drought areas.
Greenhouse gas emissions: Global and Bangladesh perspectives
Livestock, particularly cattle and buffalo, generate methane (CH₄) during digestion, a potent greenhouse gas. This methane significantly contributes to global warming, according to FAO (2013) report “Tackling Climate Change through Livestock – A Global Assessment of Emissions and Mitigation Opportunities” highlights the role of the livestock sector in climate change.
The livestock sector is responsible for about 7.1 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq) emissions annually, which accounts for approximately 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gases (GHGs). This report also discusses effective methods for reducing emissions in the livestock sector. The concentration of greenhouse gas emissions is directly related to the efficient use of natural resources.
In livestock production, the main greenhouse gases emitted include nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), which result from the loss of nitrogen (N), energy, and organic matter, reducing efficiency and productivity.
Therefore, the potential interventions to reduce emissions largely depend on technologies and practices that improve the production efficiency of the animal. These include providing high-quality feed and managing a diet to reduce enteric (gut-related) and manure emissions. Advanced breeding practices and maintaining animal health can reduce emissions by eliminating unproductive animals and associated emissions.
Manure management systems that help recover and recycle nutrients and energy from manure, and improvements in energy efficiency in the supply chain, can also cut emissions. Using inputs with low emission intensity (especially food and energy) is another viable option. In a country like Bangladesh, where rural livelihoods depend on livestock, greenhouse gas emissions from livestock are rising steadily.
Moreover, livestock requires large areas of grazing land and agricultural land, leading to deforestation, which increases carbon dioxide levels and disrupts the climate balance.
Impact of heat stress on poultry industry
Bangladesh’s poultry industry faces significant economic challenges due to extreme heat, which has led to substantial losses for farmers. According to the Bangladesh Poultry Association, an estimated 100,000 chickens succumb to heatstroke daily, resulting in economic losses of approximately USD 1.82 million each day (Asian Agribiz, May 2024).
This ongoing mortality threatens the financial stability of poultry operations and raises food security concerns. With such high losses in poultry stock, the Bangladesh Poultry Association anticipates that prices for eggs and chicken meat may surge during the hotter months of July and August.
This projected increase could further strain household budgets and create economic repercussions across the supply chain, from producers to consumers. The situation underscores the urgent need for implementing heat-mitigation strategies in poultry farms, such as improved ventilation, cooling systems, and potential breeding programs for heat-resistant poultry, to safeguard both the industry’s stability and national food security.
Impact of climate change on livestock
Extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, droughts, and heat or cold waves are increasing due to climate change, causing stress in animals, lowering their production, and even leading to disease outbreaks.
The effects of climate change on livestock in Bangladesh are already evident.
Increased Temperature: Higher temperatures reduce livestock productivity. As temperatures rise, animals struggle to regulate their body heat, leading to reduced feed intake, which negatively affects milk and meat production.
Climate-induced Disease Risk: Changes in temperature and humidity increase the prevalence of diseases in livestock, such as foot-and-mouth disease and various infectious diseases, leading to higher morbidity & mortality rates and economic losses for farmers.
Climate-induced Feed Shortages: Excessive rainfall or droughts can lead to feed shortages. A lack of grazing land and the impact on crop production can result in a scarcity of animal feed, affecting livestock productivity.
Water Scarcity: Climate change impacts water sources, reducing access to safe water for livestock. In coastal areas, Strome and tidal search causes for inclusion of saline water into fresh water.
What are our options?
Sustainable Livestock Management: Livestock farming should adopt environmentally friendly and advanced technologies, such as improved feed systems to reduce methane emissions and develop methane capture and utilization systems.
In response to these challenges, developing climate-resilient cattle breeds that can withstand heat stress and disease is vital. Strong shelters are equally important, as they provide protection against extreme weather events, ensuring the well-being of the animals.
Early warning systems, utilizing advanced technologies to predict weather events, can help farmers prepare for adverse conditions such as floods, cyclones, and droughts.
Furthermore, sustainable land use practices must be enforced to prevent illegal land acquisition and the overuse of resources, promoting the long-term viability of livestock farming.
Preventive Animal Health Systems: Raising awareness of climate-related diseases, boosting vaccination programs, and implementing measures to safeguard livestock health are critical.
Disease prevention through increased surveillance in disaster-prone areas, as well as investing in veterinary care and regular health monitoring, is also crucial for maintaining animal health and productivity.
These mitigation and adaptation strategies are essential for building resilience in the face of climate change, ensuring the future of livestock farming.
Water Conservation and Management: Implementing climate-resilient farming practices, conserving water bodies, and ensuring sufficient water availability for livestock are essential.
Strategies to combat water scarcity in drought-prone saline regions
In climate-stressed areas, effective water management is critical for sustaining agriculture and livestock, as demonstrated by southern Bangladesh, where rising salinity and temperatures are straining resources.
A case study in Khulna district highlights the efforts to counter water scarcity for livestock by integrating sustainable farming techniques, such as the Sorjan Method, which conserves water by creating alternating high and low ridges, allowing farmers to grow crops and store water more efficiently (The Financial August 25, 2023).
This approach, coupled with training farmers to cultivate salt-tolerant forage crops like Napier and Bermuda grass, provides vital resources for livestock while mitigating the risks of saline contamination and droughts.
Such adaptive measures reveal that, in regions facing intensified climate impacts, managing water in conjunction with sustainable farming and livestock rearing practices is essential for resilience.
Investments in rainwater harvesting systems, desalination techniques for saline water, and advanced irrigation methods such as auto showering or sprinkler systems for animal sheds (i.e., cattle and buffalo) are critical for improving water availability.
Additionally, the creation of wallows or ponds for water storage and management in buffalo farms is essential to ensure a stable water supply for buffalo farming.
Research and Training: Research and training programs focused on climate change impacts on livestock aim to equip farmers with knowledge and tools to manage the effects of rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events on animal health and productivity.
These programs encompass various key areas, including assessing the vulnerability of livestock systems to climate change, promoting sustainable feeding and watering practices, improving livestock housing to mitigate heat stress, and enhancing disease prevention and management.
Additionally, the programs emphasize breeding for resilience, optimizing grazing strategies, and implementing resource-efficient practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations.
Training sessions include both theoretical and practical components, with demonstrations of the best practices, interactive workshops, and hands-on activities.
International standards and guidelines for livestock emergencies like the LEGS approach should be incorporated in the training program for the staff who are engaged in livestock vulnerable communities to rebuild the livestock assets and assess the livestock intervention.
Researchers collaborate with local agricultural institutions to ensure that knowledge is transferred effectively, and they collaborate with farmers to incorporate climate-adaptive strategies into daily practices.
By addressing the challenges posed by climate change, these programs support farmers in adapting to shifting conditions, safeguarding animal welfare, and maintaining productivity and livelihoods.
Conclusion Adaptation strategies are essential to ensure the sustainability of Bangladesh’s livestock sector amidst climate threats. Improved housing, efficient waste management, emergency planning, and adequate water provision are critical for animal welfare and productivity.
By implementing these strategies, Bangladesh can mitigate climate impacts on livestock, supporting rural livelihoods and promoting a sustainable, resilient livestock sector.
Dr S. M. Rajiur Rahman, Ph.D is a Livestock and Nutrition Expert working on the Clean and Energy Efficient Cooling for Livestock Supply Chains in Bangladesh project, World Bank Group. Email: [email protected]
