Cactuses as a lifeline for livestock farmers

Livestock production is vital in Africa’s arid and semi-arid regions, from Morocco and Egypt in the north to Namibia and Botswana in the south. The continent’s drylands are home to over 525 million people who depend on rainfed agriculture and livestock husbandry. Since crop farming is often not viable due to poor soil and erratic rainfall, people prioritise livestock farming instead. However, prolonged droughts, which are being exacerbated by El Niño and the effects of climate change, have made water even more scarce and caused significant loss of livestock. 

A promising solution to this challenge is the use of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) as a forage crop and source of moisture. This cactus plant is adapted to arid and semi-arid environments and thrives in places where most crops fail. It uses water efficiently and has a waxy cuticle (skin) that reduces water loss through transpiration. The production potential of the prickly pear is estimated to be 60 times higher than the productivity of pastures.

Livestock like prickly pear cactuses, which are also about 85 % water. When included in animals’ diet, it can significantly reduce their need for drinking water. In Brazil, where cactus plants are widely used as forage, dairy cows that are fed a diet containing more than 60 % cactus often require no additional water. 

However, due to its low fibre content, cactus should be combined with dry feed to ensure balanced nutrition. For farmers in arid regions – whether they raise small livestock such as poultry, goats and sheep or larger animals like cattle – using cactus as fodder will significantly reduce the water requirements of their animals and improve the viability of their enterprises. 

Sharing equipment

The way cactuses are processed for feed varies depending on resources. Farmers often shred the cactus cladodes (pads) with machetes, but forage choppers, which mill the cladodes into small pieces, are more efficient. Low-income farmers can share such equipment communally. Given the high solar radiation in these regions, solar-powered choppers with battery storage can ensure a stable energy supply.

Cactus propagates vegetatively, so farmers can grow them from single cladodes or pads, similar to growing trees from cuttings. There are spineless, livestock-friendly varieties to choose from. With proper care, the plants can produce forage for over 20 years, and each planted pad can produce eight to 10 new ones within a year. Integrating livestock manure into cactus cultivation can further close the nutrient loop and improve soil fertility. 

For livestock farmers in Africa’s drylands, adopting cactus as a forage crop could significantly reduce water dependency and enhance the resilience of their agricultural enterprises – especially in times of climate crisis.

Für Viehhalter*innen in Afrikas Trockengebieten kann der Anbau von Kaktus als Futterpflanze den Wasserverbrauch – gerade jetzt angesichts der Klimakrise – deutlich senken und die Widerstandsfähigkeit ihrer landwirtschaftlichen Betriebe stärken.

Nyasha J. Kavhiza ist Agrarwissenschaftler und Berater und lebt in Simbabwe.
njkavhiza@rocketmail.com 

Dieser Beitrag ist Teil des „89 Percent Project“, einer Initiative der globalen Journalismus-Kooperation „Covering Climate Now“.Nyasha J. Kavhiza is an agronomist and consultant and lives in Zimbabwe.
njkavhiza@rocketmail.com 

This story is part of The 89 Percent Project, an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now.