Call for Papers: Climate-smart cultivated grassland & pasture system

Posted 01 April 2026 by under Announcements & Notices • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science
Call for Papers: Climate-smart cultivated grassland & pasture system
Grasslands, both cultivated and natural, form an important component of livestock production, rural livelihoods and ecosystem services across Africa and globally, yet these systems face increasing pressure from climate variability, land degradation and the need to reduce environmental impacts of livestock production.
 
Increasingly frequent droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and extreme weather events challenge the stability and productivity of grazing systems, while society simultaneously demands reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improved stewardship of soil, water and nutrient sources. Producers require novel pasture systems to adapt and create resilience to ensure productivity under these changed climatic conditions.
 
In response to these challenges, a Special Issue of the African Journal of Range and Forage Science will be published in 2027 focusing on the sustainability and resilience of cultivated grassland-based livestock systems. The issue will comprise review, synthesis and original research papers that examine innovative approaches to designing and managing grazing systems capable of sustaining production while reducing environmental impacts in cultivated grassland and pasture systems.
 
Contributions will address themes such as adaptive botanical composition of swards, yield stability under climatic variability, environmentally responsible pasture management, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient balances, and the economic viability of pasture-based compared with confinement systems. While grounded in African cultivated pasture grazing land contexts, the Special Issue aims to attract contributions with broader international relevance, highlighting research that advances sustainability of cultivated grassland management and supports climate-resilient livestock production systems globally.
 
Guest Editors of 2027 Special Issue:
• Sigrun Ammann (Western Cape Department of Agriculture)
• Pieter Swanepoel (Stellenbosch University)
• Charne Viljoen (Stellenbosch University)
• Hendrik Smit (Kiel University / Stellenbosch University)
 
Proposed Timeframe for 2027 Special Issue of AJRFS:
Authors –
• First Call/Invitation for Abstracts – 1 April 2026
• Second Call/Invitation for Abstracts – 15 May 2026 
• Final Submission Date for Titles & Abstracts – 30 June 2026 
• Full Paper Submission – 31 October 2026 
• First Revisions by Authors – 31 January 2027 
• Final Revisions by Authors – 31 March 2027 
 
 
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