Comments on: Forage into Use https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/ Fri, 15 May 2015 11:09:45 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9 By: Ewen Le Borgne https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-995 Fri, 15 May 2015 11:09:45 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-995 (Late comment from Addis team)
As we think about more forages into use in Africa, we need to think about variations across countries. There is an increasing demand for forages partly because of the supply issue, but we need interventions that are targeted at the different agro – ecologies.
There needs to be a concerted effort among the Centers and partners that are targeting issues pertaining to forages (CIAT, ILRI, CSIRO … )
Better supply of germplasms is an important issue that needs to be address.
Fostering of agribusiness to fill the gap is another crucial point that needs to be considered.
Resources are needed to do the capacity building – capacity building not only around the technical aspect but on the thinking around targeting forages.
The idea is to have one focal country in East Africa and one in South Africa. Some of this regional organizations like ASARECA / CADESA might be interested but both are in financial stress which we might need to look into for possible joint effort.
Understanding the constraints is important. We need to think about mechanisms that will help to develop dialogue at the higher level to establish buy in and as a means to establish the market.
There could also be additional linkages between this idea and what is going on the other centers across the CG.
Forages provide feed but they also provide other benefits as well. A holistic approach needs to be considered.
The issue of subsidizing and giving away ‘free seed’ will need to be addressed if we are targeting a sustainable seed market for forages.
This ‘Forage into use’ project proposal is aimed at awareness creation for appropriate feed interventions.

]]> By: Rupsha https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-993 Fri, 15 May 2015 09:26:03 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-993 Hi Alan! I was having a conversation with Andy Hall yesterday and I think one of the things to look at in order to make forage available and ensure that it is accessible is also to work on the ‘Response Capacity’ of the community. Basically investigate the potential of the network capacity of the community to access and use a particular variety at the right place and the right time.

]]> By: Thanammal Ravichandran https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-976 Thu, 14 May 2015 18:23:04 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-976 Alan, some thoughts for this discussion,
If the farmers are ready to invest in fodder production, private can get some incentive to promote the seeds. The first thing is use of forage into feeding system- how to make the farmers to know the benefits of forage production for better milk production. That is the reason states started promoting the fodder seeds through subsidy and NGOs distributed the free seeds. Good example is promotion of fodder seeds by agriculture and Animal husbandry departments in Tamil Nadu Southern India. They are promoting fodder production in 0.25 acres of land (subsidy) which is sufficient for 2 cattle. The adoption for this practice is very high, and dairy production is increasing in Tamil Nadu. we can argue how can it be sustainable? the government established some regional seed production units from where the seeds are supplied to the farmers and through KVKs. Functional institutions are important for this approach with good governance. The same system is implemented in Uttarakhand also, but ground level there is no impact- the reason behind this is there is no demand from farmers for the forage seeds, lack of knowledge, lack of incentive for them to invest due to lack of market for the milk and inefficient institutional set up.
Arguments for the private- they can play a role if there is incentive to participate. we cant establish a private system where the small farmers are still in the subsistence dairy farming or they are not given a good price for the milk. They will not invest into the fodder seeds, they will be trapped into the existing feeding systems with less investment.
As Lucy mentioned, the scaling strategies can be tried in Bihar, India with Livestock and Fish project. The institutions are ready to collaborate for the innovative ideas especially the Animal husbandry department. There is increasing trend towards better feeding practices in northern Bihar (improved means more concentrate or commercial feeds rather than forage) and improved value chain gives opportunities for this approach.
very good idea for the capacity development of the ground level field staffs for more knowledge with balanced feeding and forage use. But who are they? if it is organized value chain (e.g.-cooperatives) staffs can be trained. but much share is with informal value chain- who can be trained for them. Extension officer? AI workers? can try with the person who has close contact with farmers (may be AI workers?)
In Andhra Pradesh cooperative staffs are trained for forage knowledge and helps in distribution of seed system.

forage germ plasm is the big issue- availability of seeds regional level is important,
there is need for continuous research for better forage according to the climate and area, and lack of forage experts is another issue for better forage development
these are some thoughts based on the experience for last three years
Thanks for the forum

]]> By: Lucy Lapar https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-973 Thu, 14 May 2015 16:46:33 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-973 Hi Alan, it’s not just the “pesky” NGOs, your term 🙂 that’s killing the market, but also the subsidies and/or free seeds that governments provide to generate numbers as evidence of success in uptake. May I ask why India is not included in the geographical focus, given work that you’ve already started in your fodder innovation project, which seems like a nice laboratory for testing the scaling strategies you’ve outlined.

]]> By: Elvira https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-963 Thu, 14 May 2015 15:46:36 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-963 In reply to haltshul.

First thing that came to mind was Sita’s ongoing research on Bracharia spp. Scaling-up these establishments beyond demo plots with small-scale farmers participation will sure be a plus.

]]> By: a.duncan@cgiar.org https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-952 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:10:46 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-952 In reply to Polly Ericksen.

Polly – yes I agree (although if we formed a coalition we would certainly win). I think the issues in mixed and pastoral systems are distinct and each requires a focused effort….

]]> By: a.duncan@cgiar.org https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-950 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:09:17 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-950 In reply to Abdou FALL.

We need to start somewhere but indeed if there is donor interest we could roll out to West Africa – I don’t know much about the forage scene there.

]]> By: a.duncan@cgiar.org https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-948 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:08:16 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-948 In reply to Abdou FALL.

Abdou – yes, we will do all this and more. Fostering seed supply agri-business is certainly part of the plan. At the same time we need codes of practice to stop all those pesky NGO’s handing out free seed and killing the market. These are the kinds of issues that need high level stakeholder dialogue to deal with.

]]> By: Stuart Worsley https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-947 Thu, 14 May 2015 13:04:39 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-947 In reply to a.duncan@cgiar.org.

FPR is Farmer Participatory Research; See Okali Sumberg and Farrington1994 (FPR – Rhetoric and Reality). It is an approach that builds engagement with farmers into the research process. It is beyond consultation, where farmers have scope to experiment themselves. Some good examples of this were the FarmLink Project in Egypt where farmers were exposed to technologies in response to a demand articulation, and were observed to adapt these to local context. This led to rapid spread of technologies and new practices.

Burns 2007 described a whole systems action research approach where multi stranded AR experiments are tracked by AR researchers. Experiments are undertaken by citizens who are supported to record and document.

If you are interested in this, Burns and I are publishing in October – Navigating Complexity in International Development – Facilitating Sustainable Change at Scale. Here we explore methods of seeing complex systems (analysis) and engaging complex systems (as researchers through Systemic Action Research) and through practice (Organic Emergent Development).

]]> By: Polly Ericksen https://virtual.ilri.org/portfolio/forage-into-use-transformation-of-the-forage-sector-in-east-and-southern-africa-for-improved-productivity-and-reduced-environmental-footprint-of-livestock/#comment-933 Thu, 14 May 2015 11:51:23 +0000 https://virtual.ilri.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=760#comment-933 Alan: I am resisting combining my idea with yours because I fear that to do so would instantly bury the special emphasis and set of issues particular to dryland extensive systems, that ILRI has long ignored (which leave you yourself quaking in your boots)… but surely we can inform each other’s ideas :0

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