Fodder interventions as a stimulus to enhancing broad-scale innovation in livestock systems through stakeholder platforms: Experiences in Ada’a woreda, Ethiopia
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This document summarizes an action research project in Ada'a woreda, Ethiopia that used stakeholder platforms to stimulate innovation in livestock systems. Key events included identifying fodder options with stakeholders, sourcing seed, farmers planting on their own fields, forming a dairy co-op, and sourcing cross-bred cows. Preliminary findings showed that introducing appropriate technologies through existing stakeholders helped raise and address broader system constraints, and working with stakeholder platforms meant the focus shifted from technological to organizational issues over time. Facilitating stakeholder platforms was found to be time-consuming and monitoring change was not trivial.
Fodder interventions as a stimulus to enhancing broad-scale innovation in livestock systems through stakeholder platforms: Experiences in Ada’a woreda, Ethiopia
- 1. Fodder interventions as a stimulus to enhancing broad‐scale innovation in livestock systems through stakeholder platforms Experiences in Ada’a woreda, Ethiopia Background Key events Stakeholder Jun •Previous project‐led configuration Fodder approaches to feed/fodder Jul options development have had limited identified FAP NARS impact and sustainability Aug •A new paradigm for rural development focuses on IPMS Ministry Sep (extension) enhancing innovation capacity Technical innovation Seed sourced by stakeholder‐driven diagnosis and action Oct •Stakeholder platforms are a useful mechanism for enhancing 44 farmers Nov plant on Land o Lakes both technical and own fields Eden Field Seeds organizational innovation Dec Methods Farmers FAP NARS Jan •Action research – process of Dairy co‐op formed designing, implementing, Ethiopian Meat & Dairy Feb reflecting and redesigning Tech Inst. Ministry approaches IPMS Organisational innovation (extension) •Establishment of stakeholder Mar X‐bred cows platforms – joint action plans sourced FAP and implementation Apr •Documentation of innovation processes May Farmers Preliminary findings purchase seed Crop Grow •Appropriate technology (e.g. plc Jun planted fodder) introduced 60 farmers Land o Lakes through existing stakeholders is plant on Eden Field own fields useful catalyst for raising and Seeds Jul addressing broader system constraints Farmers FAP Aug NARS Milk transport Ministry •Working with stakeholder issues voiced (extension) platforms means technological Sep focus soon gives way to FAP organizational issues Milk transport IPMS Ministry EMDTI Oct negotiations (extension) •Facilitating stakeholder ongoing platforms is time‐consuming Godino Dairy Ada’a Dairy and monitoring change is not Co‐op Co‐op trivial. The Fodder Adoption Project is funded by IFAD (Enhancing livelihoods of poor livestock keepers through increasing use of fodder; IFAD TAG 853) and works in collaboration with the Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers Project (IPMS); Contact Alan Duncan (a.duncan@cgiar.org)