Comments on: Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity program

By: tkidane

tkidane — Wed, 13 May 2015 14:44:03 +0000

Thanks, Boni for the nice summary. I wanted to add to what Abdoul Fall has already said regarding ‘putting forage into use’. Lack of efficient and sustainable forage system is a challenge not only for West Africa, but also for its Eastern part, Ethiopia being one of them. The ILRI-GIZ pilot project (entitled “Piloting Climate Adaptive Forage Seed System) is progressing well and, at the end of the project, it is expected that lessons being learned from this pilot would be shared with other countries. In our effort of developing effective seed system, we are encouraging farmers, cooperatives and commercial seed companies to engage in the production and marketing of improved forage seed varieties. Scaling out of the pilot project under ASSP would help smallholder farmers get access to better quality forage seed at reasonable price. The effort would also lead to creation of sustainable seed system that help ILRI’s and its pertners’ forage Germplasms to be put into use! Thanks! Teklu

By: PeterThorne

PeterThorne — Wed, 13 May 2015 11:58:10 +0000

In reply to PeterThorne. My apologies. This is really the point that Okeyo is making. I missed it on the long journey down from the top of the page ...

By: PeterThorne

PeterThorne — Wed, 13 May 2015 11:57:01 +0000

+1 on the importance of management although we might regard management as an integrating function. We (or rather our client farmers) manage feeds, health and breeding / breeds. Possibly an over-pedantic view on my part.

By: Abdou FALL

Abdou FALL — Tue, 12 May 2015 22:22:10 +0000

Thank you Boni for your clear presentation. Putting forage into use at scale in smallholder systems is a sound way forward. There has been some experience in the past to disseminate improved forage germplasm in West Africa. What have we learned, why only forage legumes such as cowpea were successful to some extent in West Africa? One major constraint to bring to scale improved forage varieties is the lack of effective seed systems in most West African countries. In that regard, partnership with NARS will be critical for ILRI to make any significant step in putting forage to use at scale.

Thanks

By: Isabelle Baltenweck

Isabelle Baltenweck — Tue, 12 May 2015 19:29:15 +0000

In reply to Boni Moyo. this is exciting! adding that LGI, in particular Imma and I, as well as with Jo in Vietnam, we're working on survey tools and mechanisms to assess the 3 dimensions of 'sustainability' of economic, env and social. We work at producers level (Celestin, our DAAD student in Tz focuses on this) as well as producers organisations level. A new idea for collaboration?

By: Boni Moyo

Boni Moyo — Tue, 12 May 2015 18:27:28 +0000

In reply to Okeyo Mwai. Hi Okeyo, Karen, Do I take it that this is an idea we are core-championing to take forward post IPM? it is on my list now. Watch the space.

By: Boni Moyo

Boni Moyo — Tue, 12 May 2015 18:24:55 +0000

In reply to Isabelle Baltenweck. Hi Isa, This has come up a number of times in ASSP meetings. Options have been proposed including having a link person in Animal Bios (an individual who can facilitate this). We all agree that we need to work out mechanisms for better integration.

By: Boni Moyo

Boni Moyo — Tue, 12 May 2015 18:16:27 +0000

In reply to Augustine Ayantunde. Hi Augustine, Geat to hear from West Africa. ASSP works across the range of production systems in ILRI's target regions in Africa and Asia (and now in Latin America through the CRPs). As you correctly note the relative contribution of the different technological interventions will vary from production system to production system. You have given a good example on feeds and animal health which illustrates this. In order to help us identify the constraints and opportunities for technological interventions it is important that proper value chain assessments are done to inform the interventions.

By: Boni Moyo

Boni Moyo — Tue, 12 May 2015 17:49:05 +0000

In reply to Susan MacMillan. Thanks Susan, Dirk , Azage and Barry. This is noted and will be captured in ASSP's summary and next steps. Look forward to discussing that plan from next month.

By: Boni Moyo

Boni Moyo — Tue, 12 May 2015 17:33:14 +0000

In reply to Polly Ericksen. Hi Polly, Mats and Peter, I see Peter picked up most of the points you raised earlier on. The Africa Rising team are developing sustainability indicators for monitoring impact of Africa Rising's research for development interventions. Thanks for adding the round table discussion to your TO DO list. This is one of the cool areas that LSE and ASSP could do more together over and above several others already floating in the discussions. Let us make it work after IPM