Characterization of the livestock production system and potential of feed-based interventions in Adama and Arsi Negelle Districts

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Characterization of the livestock production
system and potential of feed-based interventions
in Adama and Arsi Negelle Districts

• Ethiopian Livestock Feed
• Project, Beef Team

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INTRODUCTION

• What is FEAST?
• A tool to assess feed resource availability and
• use at site-level
• A systematic and rapid method
• Broadens feed assessment to determine
• whether livestock is an important livelihood
  strategy
• importance of feed relative to other problems on
  the farm
• Helps in the design of site-specific strategies
  for
• feed supply utilization through technical
  and
• organizational interventions
• FEAST is still under refinement

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OBJECTIVES

• The Objectives were to
• gain an understanding of the overall production
  system with a particular focus on the livestock
  feeding practices of farmers in Adama Arsi
  Negele Districts
• identify key areas of intervention that could
  improve livestock productivity in the districts

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METHODOLOGY

• Adama District
• Kechema
• Wonji Kuriftu
• Arsi Negele District
• Ali Wayo
• Kersa Ilala
• Both Districts located in the Rift Valley

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Overview of the production system
No. Variables Weredas Weredas Weredas Weredas
No. Variables Adama Adama Arsi Negele Arsi Negele
No. Variables Kechema Kuriftu Ali-Weyo Kersa-Ilala
1 Land size 2 ha 1.5 ha 2 ha 2 ha
2 House hold 6 6 7 10
3 Cropping Season 3 2 2 3
4 Irrigation no yes no No
5 Labour 50 46 50 45
6 Crops grown Tef, wheat, maize, barley, beans and peas Tef, wheat, maize, barley, beans Tef, wheat, maize, barley Tef, wheat, maize, potato
7 Fodder crops Grown Leucaena, Napier grass, Sesbania sesban Napier grass, fodder beet, alfalfa and Sesbania sesban vetch No
8 Livestock Cattle, sheep, goats, donkey and poultry Cattle, sheep, goats, donkey, Horse and poultry Cattle, sheep, goats, donkey, Horse and poultry Cattle, sheep, goats, poultry donkey and
9 Source of Income 100 100 100 100
9.1 Agriculture 47 74 44 25
9.2 Livestock 35 26 37 57
9.3 Labour 18 0 0 18
9.4 business 0 0 19 0
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METHODOLOGY

• Adama
  Arsi Negele
• Kachema Wonji Kuriftu
  Ali Weyo Kersa Ilala
  
• Proximity to woreda capital
• Presence of Smallholder beef fattening
  activities
• 
  

Sites Selected
Selection criteria
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Numbers of participants from all kebeles.
No. of Participants Wereda Wereda Wereda Wereda
No. of Participants Adama Adama Arsi Negele Arsi Negele Total
No. of Participants Kechema Kuriftu Ali-Weyo Kersa-Ilala
Male 15 11 15 15 56
Female 5 9 7 5 26
Total 20 20 22 20 82
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Methodology of The FEAST Tool
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Farming systems average contribution made by
the various livelihood activities to total
household income, ARSI NEGELE

• Kersa Ilala

• ALi Wayo

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Contribution of feed resources to animal diets,
Adama
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Contribution of feed resources to animal diets
(CP), ADAMA-
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Contribution of feed resources to animal diets,
Arsi Nege
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Contribution of feed resources to animal diets
(CP), Arsi Negele
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Feed Resource Availability Seasonality

• In kechema kebele the straw is usually fed as a
  whole fibre without any form of processing or
  manipulation prior to feeding and some times by
  mixing with concentrates
• In wonji kuriftu the straw is fed by mixing with
  purchased concentrate feed.
• But in both kebeles of Arsi Negelle district the
  straw is usually fed by mixing with ltatelagt
  (local liquor by product) and concentrate feed.

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Feed Resource Availability Seasonality

• Cultivated forages
• Cultivated fodder as component of diet, ME and CP
  for kechema and kuriftu kebeles comprising
  approximately of 24 and 27 19 and 24 21
  and 16 respectively.
• But in Arsi Negele district (Ali wayo and kersa
  ilala) there is no cultivated fodder.

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Problems and Constraints ADAMA
ADAMA Kechema Kuriftu
1st Livestock feed Livestock feed
2nd Veterinary service Cash/credit service
3rd Cash/credit service Veterinary service
4th AI service Lack of training
5th Livestock inputs Livestock inputs
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Problems and Constraints ARSI NEGELE
ARSI NEGELE Ali Woyo Kersa Ilala
1st Livestock feed Livestock feed
2nd Cash/credit service Cash/credit service
3rd Market info. broker fraudulent Agricultural and livestock inputs
4th Lack of knowledge Veterinary service
5th Veterinary service Market info. broker fraudulent
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Suggested Solutions to constraints
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Potential Interventions

• Introduce least-cost fattening rations that help
  gradual shift away from certain crop/cottage
  industry byproducts that have disagreeable
  attributes laborious to the women too high
  wood fuel consuming that aggravate deforestation
  climate change.

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Limitations of the study

• In using quick questioners some questions were
  found ambiguous, e.g. sale of livestock and
  livestock products.
• In the selection procedure of three individuals
  for interview the selection might be fair if it
  is purposive rather than random. Besides, the
  sample size of only three respondents looks too
  small to represent the real situation.

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Limitations of the study

• The reliance on farmer estimates for calculating
  animal intake from grazing and intake from
  collected green fodder is a possible source of
  inaccuracy.
• Farmers do give a rough estimate of the weight of
  crop residue but in the FEAST software space is
  not reserved in which the data was supposed to be
  filled in. As a result, the data analysis output
  shows zero value. This actually appears to be a
  temporary problem.

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The Way Forward

• The current beef production level is definitely
  below consumption levels market demands.
• The major impediment has been shortage of animal
  feed both in quantity and quality. For example,
  the fattening business in the kebeles is
  dependent upon crop residues local liquor
  byproducts, all of which are unsustainable in
  supply.
• There is a need to intensify efforts on extension
  in aspects of efficient utilization of feed
  resources improved livestock management
  veterinary service, to mention just a few.
• Regardless of its considerable promise to the
  farming community and the national economy at
  large, farmers must be trained in beef fattening
  techniques, such as home mixing of low-cost
  fattening rations etc.

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Lessons Learnt

• Women who had been isolated from community
  discussions were now observed to have equal or
  even better knowledge, zeal, willingness to learn
  and actively participated in debates of the PRA
  exercise.
•  Participation of the farmers in group
  discussions regarding their own problems
  increased their awareness on various issues, what
  to expect from input supplies, credit services,
  market information, etc.
• The discussion forum served as an efficient
  experience-sharing platform.
• The participation of District Agriculture Offices
  and the Kebele DAs benefited them a lot on how to
  probe the problems of the farmers.

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• END
• THANK YOU