I-CRO-LIVE
Enhancing the potentials of underutilized local taurine breeds in integrated crop-livestock systems to improve resource efficiency, environmental impact and nutrition security in Benin
| Project details | |
| Duration | 2025–2028 |
| Location | Benin |
| Funding | Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat (BMLEH) |
| Principle investigators |
For subproject P3: |
|
This project aims to build a portfolio of appropriate strategies to improve integration of crop and livestock production, and to promote endangered local cattle breeds in Benin. The overarching goals are to enhance the resilience of farming systems to climate change and detrimental environmental impact (soil and water), and to improve nutrition security and income for smallholders. A combination of diverse participatory research approaches including focus group discussions, on-farm monitoring and modeling, will be applied to analyze the current systems, and to identify key indicators for socio-economic and agro-ecological sustainability. Digital data storage platforms and community-based breeding programs will be developed for farmer training, information sharing and the design of suitable cattle selection schemes. The overall methodology focuses on the valorization of farmer’s perceptions and knowledge, by considering scientifically screened and evaluated environmental, agro-ecological and socio-economic impacts and trade-offs of crop-livestock integration. The expected outcomes are the co-creation of sustainable frameworks for enhancing circularity and efficient use of resources in crop-livestock farming systems, and of market opportunities for animal products from local breeds. |
|
|