FEAST – the Feed
Assessment Tool
Jane Wamatu, ICARDA
Africa-RISING Quick Feed Project Inception Workshop, Addis Ababa, 7-8 May 2012

What is FEAST?
 A tool to assess feed resource availability and
use at site-level
 A systematic and rapid method
 Broadens feed assessment to determine:
 whether livestock is an important livelihood strategy
 importance of feed relative to other problems on the farm
 Helps in the design of site-specific strategies for
feed supply and utilization through technical and
organizational interventions
 Tool is still under refinement

Components of the FEAST Tool
• Overview of Farming System
PRA • Description of the Livestock Production
System
Exercise
• Major Problems, Issues and
Opportunities within the livestock system
Individual • Quantitative Information on crop-
livestock production, feed availability,
Farmer feeding rations
Survey • Qualitative Information - perception on
feed
Data
Analysis & • Enter data into FEAST Template
Developing • Based on result, develop ideas for
Intervention
Interventions

FEAST Template

FEAST Output
PRA FEAST
Report REPORT
 Analysis of feed
availability, quality and
seasonality
 Key livestock-related
problems as seen by
farmers
&
Questionnaire  Informs potential
Results Interventions