Book chapter
Improved Arid/Semi-Arid Ruminant Survival for Southern and Eastern sub-saharan pastoralists: Biochar/high-Tannin fodder, bioenergy, and carbon sequestration
Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry, pp.89-103
Nova Science Publishers
2015
Abstract
High livestock mortality during drought remains the primary determinant of livestock herd size in arid and semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. This chapter explores the introducing long-lived carbon species (biochars) as stock feed additives to increase ruminant drought survival rates during low feed conditions in arid and semi-arid regions (i.e., where Acacia spp. occurs abundantly within their natural distribution range). This has the potential to ecologically deliver stable forms of carbon to the soil through the animal solid waste residue, and would require development of new small-scale artisanal pyrolyzers also useful for domestic cooking. This can enable the co-production of biochar from currently unused biomass resources that are at present unsuitable/undesirable for use in existing cooking technologies. The approach is contextualized within the existing sub-Saharan pastoral land use activities, and the associated limiting factors of ruminant production. The research shows in theory, biochar provides traditional livestock systems with an alternative for risk mitigation. Biochar produced from local 'waste' at any time of the year can be used during the feed gaps and provides a variation on local forestry for carbon sequestration activities compatible with traditional pastoral land tenure. Presented are potential applications that require further analysis for production system efficacy, and livestock feed-use optimization and the associated market value maximization.
Details
- Title
- Improved Arid/Semi-Arid Ruminant Survival for Southern and Eastern sub-saharan pastoralists: Biochar/high-Tannin fodder, bioenergy, and carbon sequestration
- Authors/Creators
- M.P. McHenry (Author/Creator)D. Doepel (Author/Creator)B.O. Onyango (Author/Creator)
- Contributors
- M.P. McHenry (Editor)S.N. Kulshreshtha (Editor)S. Lac (Editor)
- Publication Details
- Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry, pp.89-103
- Publisher
- Nova Science Publishers
- Identifiers
- 991005541011207891
- Copyright
- © 2015 by Nova Science Publishers
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Engineering and Information Technology; Harry Butler Institute
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publisher URL
- https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=55651&osCsid=33d5f8b8971e034e604357a4f70d0b07
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