Presented by Azage Tegegne, Berhanu Gebremedhin, Dirk Hoekstra, Gebremedhin W/wahid, Zewdu Ayele and Kahsay Berhe at the “Training on Participatory Integrated Watershed Management Planning and Implementation”, workshop, Bahir Dar, 22-27 November 2012
3. Background – Livestock in Ethiopia
Large livestock population - cattle - 50 million, sheep – 25 million; Goats – 22
million; in crop-livestock mixed and pastoral/agro-pastoral production systems.
Semi arid and arid lowlands cover 78 million ha (61-65 % of the land), home for
12% of human and 26% of livestock population; (agro)-pastoral system.
About 80-85% of feed from natural pasture and quantity and quality varies. Feed
shortage is a key constraint and producers have developed innovations in feed
resources development and feeding systems.
With increased population pressure and over use of natural resources watersheds
have reduced productivity often unable to feed the growing population.
Our objective is to share innovative practices in market-oriented livestock
production within a watershed context in the dry highlands of Atsbi in Tigray and
the semi-arid areas of Mieso in Oromia.
4. Attributes of Astbi, Tigray study site
Land area 1,223 Km2; Human population
110,578
Altitude - 918-3069 (2212) masl 75% >2600 m
Rainfall 365-678 (537) mm and temperature,
13-25 (17.8) oC
Agro-ecologically classified as- dry highland
Major crops grown are: barley, wheat, teff,
faba beans, lentils, field peas, chickpeas,
irrigated fruits and vegetables
Livestock resources - Cattle (52,264); Sheep
(72,471); Goats (10,427); Camels (1,529);
Beehives (6,729)
5. Attributes of Mieso, Oromia study site
Land area of 2,574 Km2 and human population of
115,568.
Altitude - 900 to 1600 masl ; temperature varies
between 240C and 280C; annual rainfall -790 mm
Agro-ecologically - classified as semi-arid lowland
and only 12% land suitable for crop production
Major crops - sorghum, maize, teff, sesame,
haricot beans and sweet potatoes
Cattle (92,411), goats (41,869), camels (11,445)
and sheep (7,325)
Pastoralists - 80%, agro-pastoralists- 15%, crop-
livestock production – 5%.
About 73,658 ha (38%) of total land covered by
bushes, forests and grazing land, and are the
major feed resources (IPMS, 2006).
6. Watershed
A watershed consists of a steep land as runoff generating
and valley bottoms as run-on zones in a continuum fashion.
With increased population pressure, over use of natural
resources results in low watershed productivity often
unable to feed the growing population.
In this regard, IPMS has been working on watershed based
market-oriented crop and livestock commodities
development to improve productivity and income of
smallholder farmers.
8. Intervention approaches
Potentials, limitations and interventions (including GIS) of
market oriented livestock commodities were identified
along the value chain framework (VCF)
Natural pasture improvement
Crop residue improvement
Introduction of improved forage species in conserved watersheds
Introduction of cut and carry system of livestock feeding
Interventions implemented along the commodity value
chain – Beef and goats in Mieso and sheep and apiculture
in Atsbi
43. Atsbi –– forage development 2005 - 2009
Forage intervention type Demo area – ha or Scaled out coverage – ha,
cuttings PAs, cuttings
Degraded lands 26 ha 581 ha in 8 PAs, harvest
once/yr
Bottomlands; year round cut 69 ha 1746 ha in 13 PAs,
and carry harvested 3-4 times/yr
Bottomlands; partial cut and Modified/traditional 5764 ha in 16 PAs
carry
Private plots Emerged by itself 10 PAs
Irrigated sites and gullies 300 cuttings in FTCs > 45,000 cuttings
Grazing land transformed to 95 ha 4 PAs
cut and carry
47. Apiculture and vegetables development
Apiculture
Currently, there are 19,272 hives and colonies - worth of about USD 1.5 - 1.75
million from honey and colony sale benefiting 10,878 households
Changes – Increased honey productivity from about 5 kg in 1997 to a record
high of 80-100 kg/hive/year in 2007; and improved honey quality
Vegetables
In 2008, about 11,393 households (33% women) grew vegetables on 1,417
ha with total income of USD 2.5 -3.2 million
Irrigated crop growers earn USD 250 - 350 per household per harvest.
These innovative practices have been scaled up and out among PAs using
field visits, study tours and platforms
57. Fodder enclosure management and strategic use
The size of private enclosures varies from 0.5 to 1.5 ha.
Only 47% practice cut and carry feeding while 53% allow
free grazing.
The community also rehabilitated communal hill side
grazing lands through planting grasses and leguminous
forages; which improved NRM, controlled soil erosion and
enhanced soil moisture retention.
The reward from productivity of enclosures is dependent on
management and utilization patterns
60. Production of food/feed crops
Sorghum, maize, haricot bean and sweet potato
production cover 73%, 22%, 3% and 1%, respectively
of the arable land area.
They are used as food/feed crops, for cash income,
up keep of soil fertility and fulfilling social functions.
61. Sweet sorghum
Cultivated in crop livestock and agro-pastoralist areas on 80%
of the arable land (about 13,000 ha).
Hardy and drought tolerant, survives 7 shocks per cropping
season; stays on field for 7 months and produces tillers.
Intercropped with cow pea, pigeon pea, sweet potatoes,
haricot beans.
Is palatable, has higher voluntary intake, fresh stalk is eaten
by humans and stover is used for construction and firewood.
63. Sweet potato
Is a food/feed crop often inter-cropped with cereals and is also
used for income generation.
Five types cultivated and criteria for selection are early maturity
(>120 days), drought resistance, yield and market demand.
Tubers for fattening; leaves and vines for milking animals
(increases yield and shortens post-partum anoestrus period).
According to farmers, cows become over fat and infertile when
supplemented with tubers, and fattening cattle do not respond
to supplementation with leaves and vines.
73. Use of locally available concentrate feeds
and other farmer innovations
Drenching fenugreek powder mixed with water to
clean up the digestive system and internal
parasites
Feeding maize, haricot bean, sweet potato tubers,
grain flours and dough stage maize
Drenching sugar, use of salt, mineral soil and small
quantities of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) to
supplement phosphorus
76. Use of fresh human urine and mineral soils
Fresh urine is poured on crop
residues and fed to increase
feed intake, improve body
condition and temperament.
Mineral soil (known as
‘Haya’) fed during the early
rainy season to provide
nutrients and reduce internal
parasite burden.
77. Use of manure and medicinal plants
Producers indicated manure application improves water
retention and utilization, increases grain yield 2-3 folds &
biomass yield by threefold.
Use of medicinal plants (‘Harmel’) widely spread innovative
practice.
The root is chopped, dried, powdered, mixed with water and
administered around onset of short rainy season (March to
May) to treat diarrhea and internal parasites.
Tubers shared as gifts and some sold in local markets.
87. Regular and strategic destocking
In C-L system cattle fattened during abundant period (July - Nov)
and sale between Sept and Dec., using buy-plow-fatten-sale
and/or buy-fatten-sale system.
Emerging system - fatten oxen for 3-6 mo by matching with feed
availability (June to Nov) and the market.
(Agro) pastoralists annually destock young males before feed
exhaustion while in best body condition and fetch higher prices.
Producers at best position to buy grain at cheaper prices as this
period coincides with the post harvest period of cereal crops.
93. Farmer innovation in Mieso
Fodder enclosure management and strategic use
Regular and strategic destocking (matching livestock number with feed resources)
Supplement locally available mineral soils
Pouring urine/fresh urine from human/ on feeds to enhance intake
Deliberate production of food/feed crops (sweet sorghum, maize, beans, sweet potato)
Use of organic manure on crop fields
Use of supplemental feeds like dough stage maize, sorghum and haricot bean and grains,
sweet potato tubers, and various multipurpose leguminous plants
Targeted feeding to specific group of animals like lactating cows, fattening animals
Cut and carry feeding system with proper shade and feeding and watering troughs
94. Farmer innovation in Mieso
Improving the quality of feed resources through boiling, roasting,
soaking, and making flour from grains,
Wilting feeds like sweet potato leaves and vines, various weeds and
grasses
Use of salt consistently
Use of locally available medicinal plants as wormicidal and false neem
tree seeds against mild level of bloat cases
Improving presentation of crop residues like sorghum stover and maize
stalk by chopping
Massaging finished cattle at night
95. Key issues for integrated approach
to commodity development
Knowledge Management
Capacity Development
Commodity NOT Technology Development
Production Technologies
Input supply system and service provision including
innovative credit
Marketing and linkages
Lessons for scaling out and up
96. Conclusions and Outlook
Key factors to stimulate local innovation - economic
incentives, erratic rainfall and drought, food
insecurity, strong social bond and agile community
asset, etc.
Determination of the community to learn to
innovate and internalize innovativeness serve as a
spring board in adapting, sustaining natural
resources and transforming the livelihoods of the
rural community.