Feed-based Interventions for Improving Livestock Productivity in Sinana District, Bale Highlands, Ethiopia

1. Feed-based Interventions for Improving Livestock Productivity in Sinana District, Bale Highlands, Ethiopia D. Abate, S. Belete, T. Wegi and S. OsmanSinana Agricultural Research Center, Sinana Africa-RISING Quick Feed Project Synthesis Workshop, Addis Ababa, 3-4 September 2012

2. Introduction • Importance of livestock • Production and productivity • Three tools were used in the study • FEAST • Techfit • Value chain Analysis (VCA)

3. Study Site • The study was conducted in Sinana district, Bale highlands • Altitude: 2200 - 2600 masl • Annual rainfall: 750 -1000 mm • Average annual max and min Temp: 210c & 90c • Three kebeles:Salka (high livestock) Sambitu (lower density) Walta’iBarisa (intermediate)

4. Description of selected kebeles

5. FEAST

6. Characterization of the Farming and Livestock Production Systems and the Potential of Feed-based Interventions for Improving Livestock Productivity in Sinana District, Bale Highlands, Ethiopia Objectives • To provide an overview of the farming system • To identify the major livestock production problems, opportunities and potential interventions with particular emphasis on livestock feed aspects for improving the production and productivity of livestock

7. Major Findings SelkaKebele

8. Overview of the Production System • Farming system • Landholding • Cropping season • Crops grown • Fallowing land • Irrigation • Labor

9. Overview of the Farming System • Contribution to income (%)

10. Livestock Production System • Livestock sp. (TLU) • Purpose • Management • Housing • Veterinary service • AI service

11. Feeds and Feeding: Availability • Crop residues • Cereals and pulses • Grazing • Roadside & marginal land • Aftermath grazing • Cultivated fodder crops • Naturally occurring and collected feeds • Concentrate feeds • linseed cake & wheat bran

12. Feeds and Feeding: Seasonality

13. Contribution made by the various feedstuffs to DM (a), CP (b) and ME(c) of the diet

14. Livestock-related Problems in the 3 Kebeles • Shortage of feed in quantity and quality • Inadequate source of clean water • Shortage of grazing pastures • Lack of access to AI services

15. Problems, Issues and Opportunities

16. Potential Interventions • Farmers trying to conserve and improve crop residues mainly by mixing with industrial by-products • Efforts are required to • promote on the efficient collection & conservation • improve the nutritional value through identification & introduction the best combination of • different crop residues (cereal with pulse straws) • crop residues with agro-industrial and home produced by-products

17. Potential Interventions • Improving the grazing land potentials through • over sowing with suitable forages species & awareness creation on proper grazing management • Introduce improved forage varieties • Awareness creation on utilization of excess feed produced during rainy periods • Strengthening the provision of efficient AI services • Improving veterinary clinics with adequate manpower, facilities and drugs • Strengthening cooperatives & support with resource that makes them to involve in livestock development (sheep fattening)

18. Prioritization of Feed Technologies in Sinana District Using Techfit Purpose • Feed is the main constraint affecting production and productivity of livestock • Past research and development efforts to address the problem • Poor adoption rate by farming community • Unnecessary wastage of resource • Lack of systematic approach to prioritize suitable technologies for specific area Objective: To prioritize and rank best bet feed technologies for Sinana district using TechFit

19. Methodology • Pre-filter of technologies – Based on context relevance (1-6) & impact potential (1-6) scores • Prioritization of remaining technologies based on • Context attribute scores (1-5) – by farmers • Technology attribute scores (1-5) – by experts • Score for scope for improvement (1-5) • Cost benefit analysis • Cost for use of a technology vs benefits accrued from use of the technology (using benefit-cost ratio) • If Quotient BCR ≥ 1 the technology is economical • If Quotient BCR<1 technology is considered as uneconomical

20. Result and Discussions Pre-filter of technologies • From a total of 38 technologies screened, 22 technologies were dropped • Unavailability or limited availability of some technologies (e.g. UMMB, poultry litter, enset and banana leaves, etc.) • Difficulty of access to inputs (e.g. forage seeds) • High price (e.g. machine chopper, complete feed-TMR, etc.) • Need for skills and knowledge • 16 technologies passed to main filter

21. Technologies Prioritized for the Three Kebeles

22. Cost Benefit Analysis for Prioritized Technologies in terms of BenefitCost Ratio

23. Challenges/limitations • Most of prioritized technologies were not fed alone by animals • Difficult to estimate total cost and benefits incurred from use of that technology Lessons learned • By using Techfit, it is possible to prioritize appropriate feed technologies for specific site within short periods of time

24. Ways Forward • Provision of training for farmers to strengthen their knowledge and skill to utilize the prioritized technologies • Improvement of farmer’s accessibility to credit/cash and inputs through organizing and strengthening their capacity • Awareness creation on saving culture and appropriate utilization of credit/cash • Developing well refined methodology for cost benefit analysis

25. Comparison of Techfit and FEAST Findings • FEAST identified that feed shortage is the major constraint • Suggested solution by farmers • Proper utilization of existing feed resource • Cultivating improved forage • Destocking • Techfit results indicate • Most prioritized technologies related to crop residue improvement which is in line with the first solution suggested by farmers • Fodder trees and use of improved annual legume mixture considered by Techfit which in agreement with the second solution suggested by farmers

26. Comparison of Techfit and FEAST Findings • Techfit result also show that supplement with agro-industrial by-products and smart feeding are potential for intervention although these were not suggested by the farmers

27. Analysis of Sheep Value Chain in Sinana district, Bale Highlands Purpose • High Potential for sheep production in Bale highlands However, contributes less for smallholder farmers due to:- • Widely scattered and non-market oriented production systems • Lack of an efficient and effective marketing • Limited knowledge and capacity to meet international market standards Objectives • To identify major opportunities and constraints that influence sheep value chain • To document important elements and modalities of market strategies to develop sheep value chain • To suggest key intervention areas for development practitioners and policy action

28. Methodology • Both primary and secondary data were used for this study • Data was collected through FGD and key informant interview • FGD was conducted in two PA and each group contains 14-17 farmers. • Experts in different organizations and traders were contacted during KII • Data collected through FGD and KII were analyzed using thematic approach. • Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics techniques.

29. Methodology • Both primary and secondary data were used for this study • Data was collected through FGD and key informant interview • FGD was conducted in two PA and each group contains 14-17 farmers. • Experts in different organizations and traders were contacted during KII • Data collected through FGD and KII were analyzed using thematic approach. • Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics techniques.

30. Results and discussion Map of core functions Production Marketing Processing Consumption Input supply • Supply of: • Feed and water • Veterinary services • Credit • Training Rearing Feeding Watering Housing Breeding Collection Transportation Distribution to (local consumers, hotels, small traders, big traders, export abattoirs….) Slaughtering Chilling Packing Domestic consumption Export to MENA Countries

31. MarketingRoutes Gasara Agarfa Jara 30% 4% 15% Addis Ababa 5% Dambal Ali 14% 7% Modjo 9% 25% 30% 10% 10% 6% 10% Goba Shashamane Robe 8% Dinsho Dodola Adaba 35% 5% Selka 20% Alemgena 3% maliyu 18% Goro

32. Marketing channels Enabling environment Land tenure Rules and Regulation Financial policy 10% 100% Consumers at external market Farmers buy for breeding Local consumers at Addis Ababa Consumption 95% 5% 25% Hotels 30% Export abattoir Processing 70% 5% 65% Local consumers at different towns 15% 10% 1o% 30% 25% Bigtraders Collectors Live animal trading 10% Small traders Retailers 35% 30% 25% Production Small holder farmers Credit/finance Feeds and water Veterinaryservices Market information Extension services Technology Input supply

33. Major Channels Selected Channel -1. sheep slaughtered at Modjo export abattoir • Export abattoirs buy un-castrated male sheep weighed above 25kg • Exported to MENA countries • Price 31birr/kg live weight • Among the meat exported 90% is goat meat and the other is lamb. Channel-2 sheep transported to Addis Ababa • The major buyers at Addis market are retailers and individual consumers • The number of animals flowing this channel increases during the festivals Channel -3 sheep purchased by farmers for breeding • Farmers buy sheep to start new sheep production • Prefer to buy the animal they know well Channel-4 channel to Hotels • Buy intact male and sterile female sheep • Buy from collector and small traders

34. Marketing Margins

35. Constraints in Sheep Value Chain Production constrains • Shortage of feed in quantity and quality • Lack of breed improvement • Inadequate veterinary services • Lack of know how • Limited access to credit Market constraints • Lack of sufficient marketing information   • Low bargaining power of producers • Seasonality of both supply and demand • Weak Vertical and horizontal linkages • Problem of market promotion and advertising • Multiple taxation

36. Constraints in Sheep value chain Processing constraints • Shortage of supply • Inconsistent supply • Poor quality of animals Consumption constraints • Seasonality of consumption in domestic and foreign markets

37. Opportunities • Suitable agro-ecology for sheep production • Increased demand of sheep meat in local and foreign markets • Improved road infrastructure connecting zone to different districts and zones • High interest of farmers to participate in sheep value chain • Establishment of livestock development and Health Agency separately from other bureaus

38. Conclusion • Both domestic and foreign market demands fattened non-castrated young sheep, however non-market oriented production by farmers • This is mainly due to • lack of breed improvement (no breeding ram selection) • poor feed and feeding system • Lack of know how • Poor market linkage and information delivery • It is possible to enhance market oriented sheep production through solving the production constraints (e.gHunde grass-root development association experience)

39. Recommendations • Organizing farmers towards sheep fattening with necessary inputs • Initiating community based selection (sheep breeding) • Introduction of better performing breeds • Improving veterinary services • Practical training of farmers on feed conservation and sheep feeding • Establishment of saving and credit cooperatives • Creating stakeholder forum for sheep value chain actors as mechanism of market linkage • Disseminating sheep market information • Strengthen export promotion

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