Update on feeds and forages
component 1.3
Michael Blummel (ILRI)
CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish
Planning meeting
Nairobi, 27-29 September 2011

Pathways and Outcome
Value chain framework to define a set of
research areas around: 1) produce more and
better feeds, 2) making better use of feeds that
exists, 3)
processing, densification, redistribution/transfer,
4) implications of feeding systems on
labour/gender/ecological footprint etc
By-product and forage based feeding systems
used in VC that significantly increase per animal
productivity such as doubling milk production
thereby reducing the ecological footprint per unit
produce through reduction in animal numbers
2

Current Activities & Resources
India Most of feed research activities covered
(CSISA,NAIP, ACIAR, IFAD)
Ethiopia Several feed activities covered (IFAD, AGRA?)
Mali Feed/fodder market studies GEF, CSISA
Tanzania New IFAD project on dairy with pertinent feed
work, AGRA?, Feed platform ASARECA?
Vietnam ACIAR Pig VC
Uganda EC-IFAD Pig VC, Feed platform ASARECA
Global Development of Forage Options (Agrigenetics and
others)

Key Partners
Overall CRP 3s, private sector, crop improvement
India CRP 3s, ICAR, private sector, crop improvement
Ethiopia AGRA, USDA- FEED,
Mali IER
Tanzania AGRA
Vietnam
Uganda ASARECA
Egypt ?
Nicaragua
Other

Priority Outcomes 2012
1. Multi-partner core team adjusted to new
CRP driven mode of work
2. Infrastructure for feed resource work
adjusted to CRP demand
3. Farm animals are fed with high quality
local feed resources which are produced
in a sustainable way to contribute to food
security and farm income
5

Priority Outcomes 2012
4. Forage and fattening options available
and demonstrated to sheep producers in
mixed systems in Ethiopia
5. Knowledge on dry-land feeds is widely
available to all stakeholders
6

Priority Research Outputs 2012
1. Prevalent feeding systems for each VC
characterized
2. Feed resource basis assessed relative to
production target (meat, milk, fish)
3. Tools and methods developed for prioritizing
feed interventions.
4. Participatory value chain analysis approaches
focusing on feed developed
5. Feed intensification options identified for key
value chains and effects on productivity and
carbon and water footprint identified
6. Suitable (animal species, environment, stress)
forages species selected
7

Priority Research Outputs 2012
7. Most promising forage processing options
identified and optimal inclusion levels of
different forages
8. Technical advisory notes are developed and
disseminated
9. Feed data base available at ICARDA web side
8

Priority Research Outputs 2012
10. Potential food‐feed crops for fish value chains
in the context of prevalent cropping systems?
identified
11. Opportunities for increasing the participation of
women and youth in fish feed markets through
feed agro‐enterprises identified
12. Bio-fuel production residues in fish feed value
chains evaluated
13. The possibilities for integrating fodder
production into fish farming systems growing
fish and food for meat explored
9

Priority Organisational, Capacity
Development and Communication
Activities 2012
1. Realign key ILRI staff contribution with VC and
regional demand of CRP 3-7 and other CRP
ILRI is engaged
2. Identify and co-opt key players in VC and
regions and setting up mechanisms for
knowledge sharing on feed enhancement
strategies across key value chains
3. Enhance capacity for quick and practical value
chain analysis to identify and address
bottlenecks
10

Priority Organisational, Capacity
Development and Communication
Activities
4. Consolidate and enhance capacity of teams for
Forage Development
5. Continue capacity building among NARES
partner and strengthen links with ARI with
complementary skills
6. Build capacity of farmers and pastoralists
11

Priority Resource Mobilisation 2012
1. Make funds available supporting cross-VC
feed resource work focusing on VC and
regions underfunded for example small
ruminant VC in Mali and Ethiopia and pig VC in
Vietnam
[Quite some agreement across (ILRI, CIAT,
ICARDA, WorldFish]
2. Funding for environmental assessments of VC
12

Priority Outcomes 2013
Researchers and Development agents
apply value chain approaches for feeding
system upgrading, including fostering
business development services around
feed supply, facilitating transfer of feed
from surplus to deficit areas, enhancing
knowledge around feed upgrading for
producers
13

Priority Outcomes 2013
Sufficient high quality feeds and forages
for cattle and monogastric animals
available in seasonally waterlogged and
dry regions to maintain milk production
14

Priority Outcomes 2013
Input services for forage and fattening
options are established for sheep
producers in mixed systems in Ethiopia
Dry-land cereal breeding includes
screening for feed traits
15

Priority Research Outputs 2013
1. Key food-feed crops/forages that can
outperform currently used cultivars year
round by 3-5% in yield and/or quality
2. At least 1 improved feeding strategy for
each VC based on available feed
resources
3. Natural resource basis assessed relative
to projected feed demand
16

Priority Research Outputs 2013
4. Policy advice is developed and disseminated
5. Publication on indicators of feed value for dry-land
cereals
6. Guidance to farmers on making better use of feeds
developed
7. Options for diverting fishmeal species into products for
direct human consumption and the trade-offs identified
8. Options for enhancing the nutritional profile of fish
through enhanced feeds to meet food and nutrition
security needs identified
9. The economics and ecological footprints of by-product
versus pellets systems understood in specific fish value
chains 17

Priority Organisational, Capacity
Development and Communication
Activities 2013
1. Team addressing feed resources and
NRM implications established across
ILRI, CG and other partners
2. Commercialization of Brachiaria hybrids
through private sector and enhanced
dissemination of forage legumes though
facilitating seed supply and capacity
building
18

Priority Resource Mobilisation 2013
1. Funding for linking NRM and feed resource
aspects
2. Funds to support feed technological work not
directly linked to ILRI main CRP’s
3. Funds for legumes research for forage based
feed for monogastrics
4. Mobilize funds for key VC’s and countries and
beyond
19

Priority Research Outputs 2014
1. At least one feed VC that better links actual and
potential feed producers, fodder traders, feed
processors, and dairy, small ruminants, pig and
fish producers
2. At least 1/3 of newly adopted cultivars of
improved food-feed type
20