Sources of methane from livestock and land use

Publication date: 17-09-2026
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Mohamed Embaby, Madison Kindberg and Frank Mitloehner, University of California–Davis, USA

Chapter synopsis:

This chapter begins with an overview of methane as a greenhouse gas (GHG). It then examines the principal agricultural methane sources, beginning with enteric fermentation in ruminants. The chapter reviews mitigation strategies for enteric emissions, followed by assessment of methane from manure management. It moves on to discuss methane from flooded rice paddies, before expanding the view to wetlands, grazing lands and other land-use related systems. Finally, the chapter explores the implications of different metrics for measuring the climate impact of methane and wider policy issues in mitigation. The goal is to provide a comprehensive, critical, and policy-relevant overview — one that acknowledges scientific uncertainties and highlights pathways toward meaningful methane reductions while preserving food security.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2025.0169.06