Feed and forage development

Feed and forage development

Objective

The research program aims to provide options to: increase the quantity and quality of feed resources to improve livestock productivity in order to meet the growing demand for animal-source food; enhance profitability by reducing feed costs; increase income, employment and livelihoods from feed/fodder value chains and reduce labour/drudgery (especially for women); and reduce the environmental impact of feed.

Recent accomplishments

Development of low-tech ways of transforming up to 50 million tonnes of environmentally hazardous waste cassava peel into 15 million tonnes of high-quality animal feed with potential to create a USD 1 billion a year industry and over 100,000 jobs in Africa.

Proof of concept that the nutritive value of many crop residues can be improved without compromising grain yield.

An app for researchers and development workers used to apply participatory methods in identifying key feed constraints and viable options for improved livestock feeding (FEAST) has been downloaded over 1,000 times and is ready for scaling out.

Research facilities

 
Chris Jones

Chris Jones

Program Leader, Feed and Forage Development

Yonas Asmare

Yonas Asmare

Research Associate III

Tunde Adegoke Amole

Tunde Adegoke Amole

ILRI country representative, Nigeria

Meki Muktar

Meki Muktar

Scientist

Ermias Habte

Ermias Habte

Research officer

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Related Publications

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ILRI publication cover

Synergies of feed, management trainings, and genetics on milk production of dairy cows in the tropics: The case of Ethiopian smallholder farmers

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