What does value chain
assessment mean from the feed
perspectives?
By Ben Lukuyu and Brigitte Maass,
CGIAR Livestock and Fish Value Chain Development Team Meeting
Nairobi, 5-8 March 2012

Feed assessment
 Conventionally focuses on:
– The feeds available
– Their nutritive value
– Ways of improving nutritive value
– Seasonality of feed availability
 FEAST broadens assessment:
– Is livestock an important livelihood strategy?
– How important are feed problems relative to other
problems?
– What about labour, input availability, credit,
seasonality, markets for products etc.?

How does FEAST work?

FEAST Final output
 FEAST report with some ideas for
key problems and potential solutions
 Better links and understanding
between farmers, research and
development staff

‘TechFit’ feed technology
 Conventional approach to R&D for feed
development technologies
• Random choice of a few favourites with limited
success
 ‘TechFit’: An analytical framework that can
be used to:
• Collect
• Structure
• Screen
• Prioritise
 possible feed interventions
 from multiple angles (technical,
institutional, social and economic) in
various contexts

How does ‘TechFit’ relate
to FEAST?
 FEAST: Quick diagnosis of key livestock
feeding issues using PRA and very light
data collection
 Helps to structure thinking and allows
dialogue with stakeholders on what the
key feeding issues are and how they fit
into the broader context
 ‘TechFit’ could follow to help get more
specific and more analytical on which feed
technologies might work in a particular
context.

Analysis of opportunities and
constraints using the value
chain framework
 Value chain analysis of specific key feed
products that greatly influence feed
development
– Forage seeds/planting materials
– Feed/fodder markets
– Concentrate feeds and supplements
– Feed related business development services
– Etc.