Historicising sustainable livestock intensification and animal genetic improvement in Africa: towards a decolonial multispecies climate justice

This article examines the discourse and practice of sustainable livestock intensification in Africa, using Tanzania as an analytic case. Drawing on archival and ethnographic research, I argue the growing interest in animal genetic improvement in the name of efficiency and sustainability mirrors earlier, incomplete colonial cattle crossbreeding experiments. These colonial efforts were justified by the need to improve yields while conserving the environment and ultimately facilitated state control over the bodies of indigenous peoples and animals. These historical legacies have profound implications for advancing climate justice in pastoral settings, where life depends on interspecies relations, knowledges, and practices of care.

Automated summary

This article examines the discourse and practice of sustainable livestock intensification in Africa, using Tanzania as a case study. By studying the archives and conducting ethnographic research, the author argues that the current interest in animal genetic improvement for efficiency and sustainability has similarities with earlier colonial cattle crossbreeding experiments. The colonial efforts aimed to improve yields while conserving the environment and ultimately led to state control over indigenous peoples and animals. These historical legacies have significant implications for climate justice in pastoral settings where interspecies relations, knowledge, and care practices are crucial.