The document investigates the emerging livestock feed market in Northern Ghana through a survey conducted in three key markets (Tamale, Bolgatanga, and Wa) over a year using semi-structured questionnaires. Key findings indicate high prevalence of feed buyers, varying prices across seasons and markets, and significant constraints such as lack of storage facilities. The study highlights the potential development opportunities in the feed market to enhance income generation, employment, and feed availability for livestock.

1. Opportunities of emerging feed market in northern Ghana
S. P Konlan1, A. A. Ayantunde2, F. K. Avornyo1 W. Addah3 and H. K. Dei3
1 Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Animal Research Institute, Box 52, Tamale, Ghana
2 International Livestock Research Institute, c/o CIFOR, 06 BP 9478 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
3 University for Development Studies, Department of Animal Science, P. O, Box TL 1350 Tamale, Ghana
Corresponding author email: kspigangsoa@yahoo.com
Key research activities
o Feed market survey was conducted in 3 main markets (Tamale,
Bolgatanga and Wa).
o Semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather data on
quarterly basis across seasons for one year.
o Samples of feed sold were bought from 3 different sellers for
each feed type per market and determined price of feed per kg
Implications of the research for
generating development outcomes
Results and main findings
Further studies could be done on the volume of feed sold and
income generated by feed sellers across seasons to fully
understand the features of the emerging feed market
How this work would continue in
Africa RISING phase 2
The Africa Research In Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) program comprises three research-for-
development projects supported by the United States Agency for International Development as part of the U.S. government’s Feed the
Future initiative.
Through action research and development partnerships, Africa RISING will create opportunities for smallholder farm households to move out
of hunger and poverty through sustainably intensified farming systems that improve food, nutrition, and income security, particularly for
women and children, and conserve or enhance the natural resource base.
The three projects are led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (in West Africa and East and Southern Africa) and the
International Livestock Research Institute (in the Ethiopian Highlands). The International Food Policy Research Institute leads an
associated project on monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.
www.africa-rising.net
University for Development Studies (UDS) and Ministry of
Food and Agriculture (MoFA)
Current partnerships and future
engagements for out scaling
Table 1: Percentage of respondents
Respondent Wa Bolgatanga Tamale Total
Sellers % 20.5 4.4 3.0 27.8
Buyers % 8.9 30.2 26.6 65.7
Both % 0.6 4.1 1.8 6.5
Total % 32.0 36.7 31.4 100.0
Table 2: Common feed traded by feed sellers and buyers
Feed name Nature of feed Mean price
(GHS/kg) adb*
Maize bran Dry maize bran from grain 0.46
Groundnut haulms Harvested dry groundnut
tops
0.35
Cowpea haulm Cowpea vines and leaves 0.62
Ficus sp Fresh leaves and twigs 0.34
Pterecarpus
erinaceus
Fresh leaves and twigs 0.34
Afzelia sp Fresh leaves and twigs 0.27
Sorghum bran Dry bran from grain 0.23
Rice bran Seed testa and husk 0.14
Key:1 USD ≈ 3.05 GHS, GHS; Ghana cedis, adbx
= air dry basis
o Over 60% of the respondents were feed buyers (Table 1.)
o Crop residues, agro-industrial by-products (bran of maize, rice
and sorghum), fresh grass (Rotteboellia cochinchinensis) and
local browses (Ficus sp, Afzelia sp and Pterocarpus erinaceus)
were sold.
o Feed prices were high in Bolgatanga market (Fig. 1). Prices of
cereal bran had no significant difference across seasons
o Crop residues prices were significantly higher in dry season
(P<05).
o Cowpea haulm recorded the highest mean price (Table 2).
o Major constraints were lack of storage facilities and market
stalls
o Development of the emerging feed market through
establishment of stalls with storage facilities will help increase
feed sales, income generation and availability of feed for
livestock
o It provide job opportunity for employment and poverty
reduction
o The growth of the feed market will trigger the cultivation of
more feed/feed crops for sale of grain and residues
.00
.10
.20
.30
.40
.50
.60
.70
.80
Northern Upper East Upper West
Price(GHS)/kgoffeed
Figure 1: Quarterly (Q1-4) mean
feed prices in the study area
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
A livestock feed market in
northern Ghana