Vol. 119 No. 1 (2025)
Research Papers

Modelling the Dynamic Interaction between Production Growth and Carbon Footprint of Livestock Sector in Ethiopia

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  • Petros Terefe Tolcha,
  • Helen Berga Paulos
Petros Terefe Tolcha
Department of Economics, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Helen Berga Paulos
Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-16931

Published 2025-07-08

Keywords

  • livestock,
  • carbon footprint,
  • system dynamics,
  • Ethiopia

How to Cite

Terefe Tolcha, P., & Berga Paulos, H. (2025). Modelling the Dynamic Interaction between Production Growth and Carbon Footprint of Livestock Sector in Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development (JAEID), 119(1), 439–468. https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-16931

Copyright (c) 2025 Petros Terefe Tolcha, Helen Berga Paulos

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

: Livestock is the largest agricultural subsector, supporting the livelihood of many populations and the economy in Ethiopia. The sector is, however, a significant contributor to the carbon footprint in the country. Only direct emissions from the sector accounted for more than 36% of total emissions. Thus, the purpose of this study is to model and evaluate the livestock production system and its contribution to the carbon footprint. A system dynamics model that represents the livestock production system and its interaction with the environment in Ethiopia has been built. The simulated results have demonstrated that increasing meat productivity through improvement in feed quality and supply, increasing slaughter, managing land use change, and implementing price policy have a sound effect on lowering greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) while also improving the supply and value of meat. The policy scenario has achieved 15% and 11% growth in meat and livestock value, respectively, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to the base case in 2040.

 

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