Climate-Smart Smallholder Dairy Farming in the Global South: Integrating Gender Equity for Methane Mitigation

This study explores the critical role of gender equality in reducing enteric methane emissions and improving nutrition and feeding practices to facilitate the transition toward net-zero emissions in smallholder dairy systems in poor countries. Achieving net-zero in this sector necessitates a reduction of over 50% in methane emissions. While industrialized nations have achieved notable gains in emission intensity through improved production efficiencies, progress in developing countries remains marginal. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify cost-effective, context-specific mitigation strategies for smallholder dairy systems in these regions. Integrating climate-smart practices into smallholder dairying offers multifaceted benefits—lowering greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing food and nutrition security, boosting productivity, and improving livelihoods—particularly when intersectional and gender disparities are addressed. Recognizing the influence of gender dynamics on production systems is vital, as women often play central but underappreciated roles in livestock management. Public–private collaborations are essential to advancing innovative, affordable feeding solutions and promoting inclusive, gender-responsive mitigation strategies. This article examines how gender roles shape methane emissions in smallholder dairy farming and highlights the potential gains of embedding gender equality into emission-reduction efforts. A gender-inclusive approach not only facilitates equitable outcomes and empowers women but also significantly reduces the emission intensity of milk production. Such interventions contribute to climate resilience, enhance socio-economic wellbeing, and support environmentally sustainable dairy development. Ultimately, empowering women and closing gender gaps in smallholder dairying emerges as a pivotal strategy for achieving climate mitigation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods in the Global South.