Nairobi: Africa’s rich livestock genetic resources hold untapped potential to drive productivity, climate resilience, and sustainable development. A new open-access reference book dubbed ‘African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies: Unlocking a Treasure Trove and Guide for Improved Productivity’ offers actionable insights for governments, researchers, and practitioners to prioritize breeds with adaptive traits to climate resilience, aligning breeding goals with production systems and farmer needs as well as practical perspectives on feasible livestock breeding strategies.
According to Kenya News Agency, the book was launched today by the African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet) in partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), and the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in Nairobi. It consolidates decades of research on livestock genetics, breeding, and adaptation strategies for Africa.
Hosting approximately one-third of the world’s total livestock population, Africa is home to the world’s richest diversity of indigenous cattle (150 to 180), goats (289), poultry (126), and dromedaries (94), and the second-highest diversity of indigenous sheep (363), rabbits (4), and donkeys (27). The locally adapted breeds of these species have evolved over generations to survive heat, disease, and variable feed conditions, making them critical for climate adaptation and resilience in small-scale and low-input production systems.
Professor Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of ILRI, emphasized that using science-based breeding strategies can improve productivity, enhance resilience, and reduce emissions intensity across African livestock systems. He highlighted that Africa’s livestock genetic diversity is not just a heritage but also a climate and development tool.
The book identifies that many African livestock breeds are at risk of extinction primarily due to indiscriminate crossbreeding with exotic breeds, which erodes the unique genetic traits of these indigenous animals. This is driven by a push for higher productivity, often ignoring that local breeds are better adapted to harsh environmental conditions. While the low productivity of indigenous breeds in these challenging smallholder environments leads to high greenhouse gas emissions per unit product, experts note that the total emissions remain lower than in intensive agricultural regions.
The book emphasizes that breeding objectives must reflect farmer priorities and production realities. For success, genetic improvement programmes must integrate adaptation and mitigation goals, include farmers in decision-making, and strengthen institutional capacity for data collection, monitoring, and livestock breeding and management. Professor Mizeck Chagunda, Director of CTLGH, stated that protecting and sustainably using these breeds through targeted breeding is essential for safeguarding livelihoods and meeting the challenges of climate change. Local breeds are described as the backbone of climate-resilient African agriculture.
Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR, highlighted that strategic investments in genetic characterization, breeding programmes, and farmer-centered approaches will drive sustainable, resilient livestock systems for Africa’s future. Conserving and using Africa’s indigenous livestock genetic resources is considered a matter of climate and development security.
Ed Rege, Chair of AABNet Executive Committee, noted that the book, crafted by a pan-African community of experts, serves as a foundational text providing the common language and evidence base needed to professionalize animal breeding on the continent, combat genetic erosion, and ensure that farmers have access to trustworthy, productive, and adapted animals.
The publication positions AABNet, ILRI, CTLGH, AU-IBAR, and their national partners as leaders in coordinating African livestock genetic improvement and conservation. These organizations emphasize the importance of multi-country genetic evaluation, professional capacity building, education innovation, advocacy, and collaboration to scale breeding programmes and enhance sustainable development in livestock.
The book also highlights the centrality of genetic characterization and presents opportunities for using gene editing, reproductive, and genomic technologies in different livestock species. It integrates genetic improvement with conservation and sustainable use, strengthening institutions, data systems, and professional capacity to deliver results. The book is open access and available for download, serving policy, research, and training across Africa and globally.
