[RW-23-003] - Develop a methane strategy for Rwanda's livestock sub-sector sector and a funding proposal for upscaling anaerobic digestion of livestock manure

Rationale

The agriculture sector is the primary source of methane emissions in Rwanda, largely driven by livestock. According to the Rwanda’s first Biennial Update Report, the Enteric Fermentation and Manure Management accounted for 78.43 % share of national total methane emissions. Whereby, enteric methane and manure represents 76% and 16% respectively for dairy cattle emissions.

Rwanda is implementing the fourth phase of the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 4) by promoting climate-resilient crops and livestock. Upscaling the use of modern on-farm anaerobic digestion of manure for bioenergy (biodigesters) is a priority measure in Rwanda’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Anaerobic digestion is reflected in Rwanda’s agriculture strategies and energy policy, which set out to promote the use of alternative fuels such as biogas derived from animal and plant waste as cooking fuel.

In addition to reducing methane emissions, the use of biogas is expected to provide additional benefits, including avoided deforestation in a country where 90% of rural areas use firewood as a source of cooking fuel. 

This project seeks to  developing a methane strategy, that complements the CCAC supported methane roadmap that is on-going and that targets the mitigation interventions for cattle and small ruminant systems in the districts that PADNET does not target. 

The development of a methane strategy for the livestock sector and a comprehensive MRV system to monitor emissions reductions will build on comprehensive work carried out under the CGIAR-CCAFS Climate Finance Readiness, FAO analysis on development of low-emission dairy systems in East Africa, and the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero launched during the UN Food Systems Summit, as well as the engagement at COP26 towards a process aimed at systematically enhancing climate action in global dairy systems.

Objectives

This project aims to:

• Increase the capacity for the Government of Rwanda to develop a Tier 2 emissions inventory for the livestock subsector (dairy cattle, swine, goats, poultry, sheep, etc.) by project the end of the project.
• Enable the Government of Rwanda to endorse a methane strategy for the livestock sub-sector (cattle and small ruminant systems) by the end of the project or soon after.
• The Government of Rwanda adopts a monitoring, reporting, and verification framework for the livestock sub-sector by the end of the project or soon after.

• Support the Government of Rwanda to submit a project proposal to address emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), particularly methane, through the adoption of modern anaerobic digestion to potential climate funding mechanisms by the end of the project or soon after.

   

  Activities

  To achieve these objectives the project will:

   

• Identify  methane mitigation options and best climate-smart livestock practices
• Assess methane mitigation potential and the cost of mitigation options and benefits of measures.
• Assess the institutional arrangements for implementation.
• Assess the economic impacts.
• Identify emission reduction targets.
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the methane mitigation pathways.
• Formulate a methane strategy for the livestock sub-sector that builds on the work done by FAO during the design of PADNET as well as under the Flexible Voluntary Contribution sub-programme on livestock and climate actions.
• Conduct training workshops provided to relevant government stakeholders on Tier 2 inventory development for the livestock sub-sector.
• Develop an integrated greenhouse gas and SLCP Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) framework for the livestock sub-sector.
• Identify pilot farms where data can be collected and analysed. 
• Provide training to Rwanda Agriculture Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and affiliated agencies, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Local Government, District and sector offices, CIAT – International Centre for Tropical Agriculture on MRV systems.
• Explore the opportunity of markets for different feed additives following consultation with MINAGRI and Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).