Malawi’s Virtual Capacity-Building Workshop on Livestock Tier 2 GHG Inventory Improvement: Outcome Report

In 2019, the Republic of Malawi launched Malawi’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory System to quantify national GHG emissions according to each sector listed in the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National GHG Inventories. Relying on recorded data for 2017, the Malawi government found that the agriculture, forestry, and other land use sector was responsible for 75% of the country’s total emissions. Livestock was the leading contributor, accounting for 27% of Malawi’s total emissions, but IPCC Guidelines on calculating for uncertainty around Tier 1 approaches could project these emissions to be as high as 36%.

Although Malawi’s carbon footprint compared to its neighboring countries remains comparatively small, as the country’s population continues to grow, the need to develop accurate GHG inventories from livestock becomes increasingly imperative to inform Malawi’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies. Given that approximately 80% of Malawi’s rural livelihoods depend on agriculture, identifying climate-resilient and low-emission livestock practices will be critical to ensuring the sustainable development of Malawi’s economy.

In May 2023, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) hosted the Southern Africa Livestock Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, and identified key shared priorities for livestock climate actions within the region. Between November 20–21, 2023, AfCAP hosted the Strengthening National Response to Climate Smart Livestock Workshop in Salima, Malawi. This workshop focused on raising awareness and increasing stakeholders’ understanding of the issues related to GHG emissions in the livestock sector. The major capacity issues raised in Salima included the need for more awareness-raising to a wider stakeholder network in the sector and more information about priority data gaps for Tier 2 and alternative ways to address the gaps. In response to these needs, the Malawi Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD), in partnership with Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources sought expert technical assistance from the Global Climate Action Partnership’s (GCAP’s) Climate Action Accelerator to hold a 2-day virtual capacity-building workshop with relevant stakeholders and local experts. This report shares the outcomes from the workshop.