ILRI introduces the Livestock and Climate Solutions Hub at SAADC 2025

At the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries (SAADC 2025), organized from 1-4 October in Can Tho Province, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) introduced for the first time in Asia its new global initiative - the Livestock and Climate Solutions Hub. The Hub is designed to accelerate the transformation of livestock systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) toward sustainability, resilience, and low emissions, while ensuring equitable and healthy food systems.

During the plenary session, Aditi Mukherji, ILRI principal scientist and the Hub leader, delivered a presentation titled "Innovations for Transition to Resilient, Climate-Smart, and Healthy Livestock Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries." She outlined the complex challenges facing livestock sectors in LMICs, from nutritional deficiencies and low productivity to rising greenhouse gas emissions and climate vulnerabilities.

Mukherji’s presentation highlighted that while livestock systems in LMICs support the livelihoods of nearly 1.3 billion people, they are increasingly affected by climate change, feed shortages, and diseases outbreaks. Addressing livestock-related methane emissions, which account for around 30% of global CH₄, requires an integrated approach that increases productivity and reduces emissions.

“The Livestock and Climate Solutions Hub brings together research, innovation, partnerships, and investment to co-develop and scale low-emission, climate-resilient livestock systems,” said Mukherji. “By uniting science and policy, we aim to create healthier and more equitable food systems that can endure the growing pressures of changing climate.”

The Livestock and Climate Solutions Hub, hosted under the CGIAR framework, will operate as a virtual center that convenes, synthesizes, amplifies, and influences, connecting research with real action. The Hub will work to bundle technologies across genetics, animal health, and nutrition; strengthen measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for LMICs; support policy integration with countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); and facilitate investment partnerships for scaling low-emission livestock solutions.

The subsequent ILRI-hosted workshop on 4 October featured a series of presentations highlighting innovations being implemented across Asia by ILRI and its partners: Integrated One Health and climate change innovations by Hung Nguyen, regional director for ILRI Asia shared its experiences in linking livestock health, climate adaptation, and human well-being through integrated One Health approaches, addressing zoonotic disease prevention and climate resilience. Genetic innovations for climate-resilient breeds by Ngo Thi Kim Cuc, deputy director general, the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Viet Nam, showcased its achievements in improving local poultry breeds for higher productivity, enhancing the resilience of smallholder farming systems.

Furthermore, Bundled intervention packages for sustainable livestock systems by Mary Atieno, national coordinator, CGIAR Science Program on Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF) presented South–South learning experiences combining genetics, nutrition, and animal health innovations to increase productivity while reducing emissions. ICT solutions for transboundary disease prevention by Bui Nghia Vuong, head of Viology Department, the National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR), Viet Nam, introduced FarmVetCare mobile-based surveillance and early warning tools to strengthen biosecurity and disease management in livestock production.

The ILRI-hosted workshop gathered about 50 diverse stakeholders from research institutions and government agencies to development partners and private sector actors, who provided valuable inputs to shape the Hub’s direction. Participants emphasized the importance of: evidence-based science to inform policy and investment in livestock and climate actions; cross-sector collaboration to integrate genetics, health, nutrition, and environmental management; capacity building and knowledge exchange to strengthen local expertise; carbon credit and financing mechanisms to incentivize sustainable livestock practices; and improved communication and networking among actors to share innovations and success stories.

Stakeholders also highlighted the need for the Hub to serve as a convening platform, connecting governments, research academia, private sector, investors, and development partners to jointly identify priorities, co-design initiatives, and mobilize funding for climate-smart livestock solutions.

Building on the stakeholder’s feedback from SAADC 2025, ILRI will engage partners through a series of multi-stakeholder consultation workshops across Asia in the coming months. These dialogues will foster collaboration, co-design regional initiatives, and mobilize resources to operationalize the Hub.