## 1 Introduction  
Climate change and variability are some of the most influential factors that impact the livelihoods of livestock farmers in semi-arid areas [1]. This is mainly through their effects on rangeland productivity which plays a critical role as the main feed source for livestock. [2], predicted a 25% loss of livestock production in crop-livestock systems in developing countries as a result of climate change mainly because livestock take time to rebuild after die-offs. In turn, livestock also plays an important role in the livelihoods of farmers by contributing significantly toward food security by alleviating seasonal food shortages through meat and milk and most importantly cash income [3]. However, high mortalities and low productivity were to be the most important constraints in this sector, hence farmers fail to realize the potential benefits from livestock. Poor access to animal health support and technologies as well as dry season feeding shortages contribute immediately to high mortalities [4]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that the average temperature in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is projected to increase between 1.5 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 3.1 \({}^{\circ}\)C by 2050 [5]. It is also noted that extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and changes in the frequency and intensity of dry spells are increasing in Southern Africa. The upward trend in temperature is projected to continue beyond 2050 while trends for precipitation vary spatially and from one model to another. The exact nature and extent of the impact of climate change on temperature and precipitation distribution pattern remain uncertain and it is expected to affect the poor and vulnerable societies especially in SSA. Despite the potential to increase agricultural productivity in SSA, climate change remains the greatest challenge. Africa is the most vulnerable region to climate change because widespread poverty limits the people's adaptive capacity [6]. The impacts of climate change on agriculture could seriously worsen the livelihood conditions for the rural poor and increase food insecurity in the region. Climate change is however a gradual process which can be adapted to depending on the resiliency of communities or countries affected. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are expected to increase significantly in 2050 [5; 7]. This will increase the efficiency of photosynthesis and water use, but also is expected to have greater impacts on C\({}_{3}\) plants. High temperatures tend to increase lignification of plant tissues and hence decrease the digestibility of forage. It is also predicted that climate change will induce a shift from C\({}_{3}\) to C\({}_{4}\) grasses. C\({}_{4}\) plants are more efficient in terms of photosynthesis and water use than C\({}_{3}\) plants. The C\({}_{3}\) forage plants generally have higher nutritive values, but lower yields, while C\({}_{4}\) plants contain large amounts of low-quality dry matter and have a higher carbon-nitrogen ratio [8]. Rangelands are under pressure from different drivers such as climate change, degradation, and human activities [9]. The productivity of rangelands in the semi-arid areas varies with time and space with most of them being characterized by grasses, shrubs, forbs, and browse [10]. Rangeland productivity and variability are closely dependent on several ecological conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and soil moisture content. These conditions are known to affect the species composition, abundance, and diversity. Different livestock species have different feeding behaviors and changes in -rangeland condition and productivity may have far reaching consequences on grazing regimes [10; 11; 12]. These alterations may have adverse effects on livelihoods that depend on livestock for food and income. The spatial variability of the effects of climate change impacts within rangelands is likely to create inequitable distribution of feed resources [10].