Climate change is increasingly putting the milk production of dairy farms in northern Africa under stress, threatening livelihoods and food security. Heat stress and feed shortages threaten cattle milk production in about 20 percent of the sub-Saharan areas that have been researched by researchers from the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU). To alleviate the situation, the researchers recommend adjusting the herd composition and keeping more goats and camels. These are more resistant to heat stress and feed shortages and can produce milk year-round. This can increase milk yields while reducing water and feed requirements and CO2 emissions. Taking climate change into account ecologically, adaptation secures milk production and enables local food security.

Further links:

• To the article by KIT (German only)

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