Communication strategies for enteric methane reduction in African livestock farming systems

Enteric methane emissions from livestock represent a significant challenge to both environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity in Africa. Despite the development of various mitigation strategies, their adoption remains low among African farmers compared to their Western counterparts. This scoping review examines enteric methane mitigation strategies in African livestock systems, the communication approaches used to promote their adoption and the communication barriers that limit their adoption. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 24 peer-reviewed studies were systematically analyzed from four academic databases (Web of Science, EBSCO, Google Scholar and PubMed). Results revealed five key communication strategies: awareness and education-based communication, knowledge transfer and extension services, scientific and data-driven communication, policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement, and practical and application-based communication. Major communication challenges included knowledge and awareness gaps, science-practice disconnect, technical and accessibility barriers, cultural and social resistance, and structural and institutional limitations, being the most common. Our findings highlight the need for integrated communication approaches that combine scientific evidence with practical demonstrations, leverage traditional and digital media channels, and bridge indigenous knowledge with scientific innovations. This review offers a framework for researchers, extension workers, and policymakers to improve enteric methane mitigation communication in African livestock systems, supporting climate-resilient agriculture.