The sustainability of the livestock sector in sub-Saharan Africa is negatively affected by limited access to high-quality fodder in adequate quantities. The effects of climate change further ...exacerbate feed availability. Therefore, there is a need to develop feasible cost-effective strategies for improving the year-round feed supply. Improved planted forages such as Brachiaria grass have been recommended as one of the strategies of alleviating feed scarcity, especially in drier agro-ecological zones. This study analyses the socio-economic determinants of adoption and the impact of adopting Brachiaria grass for feed sufficiency and increased milk production. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method was used to assess the determinants and impact of the adoption of Brachiaria grass. Empirical results indicate that the adoption of Brachiaria grass led to a significant increase in milk production by 27.6% and feed sufficiency by 31.6%. The positive impact of Brachiaria grass is consistent with the role of agricultural technologies in improving the productivity, income, and welfare of smallholder farmers. The adoption of Brachiaria grass is influenced by age of farmer, tropical livestock unit (TLU), type of animal breed, perceived benefits of the technology, access to extension, and farmer group membership. The study recommends holistic policy approaches that promote the widespread adoption of Brachiaria grass. There is also a need for an effective information dissemination pathway for Brachiaria grass.
Brachiaria grass; feed sufficiency, milk productivity; propensity score matching; planted fodder technology; climate-smart; agricultural policy; Animal Nutrition; Cattle; Livestock Management; Agricultural Economics; Agricultural Policy; Agricultural Technology; Economics
•We demonstrate that planting density increases forage yields without negatively affecting grain yields if thinning is managed according to the crop situation or need for forage.•We quantified for ...the first time the impact of MSVD on thinnings and stover such that forage yields of the susceptible maize varieties were reduced more than for the resistant varieties.•We show that there might be tradeoffs between breeding for MSVD resistance and fodder quality in terms of quantity and quality of forage (thinnings and stover).
Maize provides an important source of forage for the maize–dairy farmers in Kenya. However, due to small farm size, maize cannot supply all the feed needed for dairy cattle and forage is in short supply in the dry seasons. This paper examines practices to increase the health and use of maize and increase forage quality and quantity. The paper uses data from participatory on-farm research on cultural management practices of maize and on-station field trials in which plants were artificially infected with maize streak virus disease (MSVD) in the intensive maize–dairy production systems in central Kenya. Findings showed that smallholder farmers have deliberately changed the maize management practices by planting densely and systematically thinning the crop to obtain both fodder and grain. They perceived MSVD to have the greatest effect on forage yields and to be a difficult disease to control. Maize management trials showed that increasing plant density increased forage yields by up to 41% but decreased grain yields by up to 17% when specific thinning regimes were applied fairly late in the growth of the crop. However, grain yields were maintained when maize was planted at high density and then progressively thinned for forage during the growing season according to the crop situation or need for forage. The on-station research is the first study on the impacts of MSVD on maize forage and was carried out to increase production of forage during the wet seasons through use of resistant cultivars and agronomic interventions with a view to mitigating forage shortages during the dry seasons. MSVD infection was achieved with artificially infected leafhoppers (Cicadulina mbila (Naudé) (Hem.: Cicadellidae). In the 2001 short rainy season (SRS), early infection (14 days after crop emergence) reduced thinning yields by 43% in the susceptible cultivar, H511, compared to only 22% in a tolerant one, KH 521. Stover yields were reduced by 24% in H511 while there were no significant losses in KH 521. Interestingly, the local landrace, Gikuyu, was tolerant of MSVD in terms of grain yield but not thinnings. Forage from crops infected 35 and 56 days after crop emergence did not differ significantly from the uninfected controls. In the 2002 long and short rainy seasons, early infection with MSV again reduced thinning and stover yields whereas fertilizer and plant density did not significantly affect the influence of MSVD on either maize forage or grain yields. Use of tolerant cultivars provided insurance against forage and grain yield losses caused by early infection by MSV, but yield benefits varied with season. With respect to forage quality, MSVD had a beneficial effect on susceptible cultivars (H511 and H614) due to the higher crude protein (CP) and lower neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations of infected material in the early stages of growth. However, the reduced yields due to MSVD negate any advantage of increase in CP in infected material of susceptible maize cultivars. Further, the benefit of breeding for high NDF concentrations as a defense mechanism against disease effects is disadvantageous to improving quality of maize forage.
This paper assesses farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices in the adoption of Brachiaria grass using a mixed-methods approach. Results indicate that farmers are aware of different improved ...forages they have adopted and their varieties. Results from the household survey on farmers' attitudes on the perceived benefits of Brachiaria indicates that adopters perceived Brachiaria to increase milk production and fodder availability. Thus, farmers’ perception is a function of awareness and access to information and is one of the factors limiting adoption. The study recommends investment in training and extension services to farmers in order to up-scale adoption.
Body linear measurements, and specifically heart girth (HG), have been shown to be useful predictors of cattle liveweight. To test the accuracy of body linear measurements for predicting liveweight, ...crossbred dairy cattle of different genotypes were measured and weighed. A total of 352 mature cows and 100 heifers were weighed using an electronic weighing scale and measurements of HG, body length, height at withers were taken using an ordinary measuring tape and body condition scored (BCS) using a five-point scale. The animals were grouped according to genotype and age. Genotype classification was undertaken from farmer recall and by visual appraisal as 40–60, 61–80 or 81–100 % exotic (non-indigenous). Age classification was simply as mature cows or heifers. Liveweight of the animals ranged from 102 to 433 kg. Liveweight was strongly correlated with HG (r = 0.84) and body condition scores (r = 0.70) and moderately correlated with body length (r = 0.64) and height at withers (0.61). Regressing LW on HG measurements gave statistically significant (P < 0.01) equations with R
2
ranging from of 0.53 to 0.78 and residual standard deviation ranging from 18.11 to 40.50 kg. The overall model developed (adjusted R
2
= 0.71) had a prediction error of 26 kg (or 11 % of the mean) and predicted LW of over 95 % of crossbred dairy cattle in the range of 100–450 kg, regardless of age and breed group. Including BCS in the model slightly improved the model fit but not the prediction error. It was concluded that the model can be useful in making general management decisions in smallholder farms.
Purpose: This paper assesses the effectiveness of volunteer farmer trainers in promoting adoption of agricultural technologies in western Kenya. Specifically, the purpose was to assess the type of ...information they disseminated, farmer trainers' characteristics desirable to farmer trainees, and how trainees evaluate farmer trainers.
Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through focused group and open discussions, and interviews with 44 farmer trainers (32% women) and 91 trainees (63% women). Effectiveness of training was assessed based on level of learner satisfaction and attributes pertaining to knowledge, skill, attitude and application of the learning on farms. Other topics examined included selection of farmer trainers, organization of training, type, how and to whom information is disseminated, and farmer trainers' constraints and opportunities.
Findings: Farmer trainers played important roles such as mobilizing and training fellow farmers, hosting demonstration plots, bulking and distributing planting materials. They were, however, rated slightly lower in follow-ups and seed bulking. Farmer trainers disseminate on average two to four different types of technology. Crop-based technologies were disseminated more than livestock-based ones because of their simplicity. Technical backstopping from extension workers remains a challenge, which may compromise quality of information disseminated. The survey showed that the approach is sustainable, with farmer trainers continuing their work several years after project support had ended.
Practical implications: The results from this study are of use to development programmes keen on using low-cost, community-based dissemination approaches. Recommendations are also given on selecting farmer trainers, organizing training, types of technologies to disseminate incentives, and sustainability.
Originality/value: The added value lies in filling information gaps in the use and effectiveness of the farmer trainer approach in promoting technology dissemination.
To understand farmers' preference and perceptions of breed attributes, breeding and feeding practices, 419 households in western Kenya were interviewed in a cross-sectional survey. Respondents scored ...their preference for cattle breeds, traits and breeding methods on a scale of 1 (most preferred) to 5 (least preferred). Preferences were compared using multinomial logistic regression models on weighted scores. The Ayrshire breed was most preferred followed by the Friesian. Using hardship tolerance as a reference trait, the Friesian was preferred 4.86 times more for high milk production and Ayrshire, Jersey and Guernsey breeds 4.61, 4.60 and 4.18 times (p < 0.01) more, respectively, for milk fat content. The Ayrshire was preferred 4.16 times more for its perceived low feed requirement and 1.22 times more (p < 0.01) for resistance to diseases. Friesian was the only breed preferred (3.18 times more) (p < 0.01) for high growth rate of calves. Artificial insemination (AI) was the breeding method of choice, but majority (>68%) of respondents used natural mating, because it was readily available and cheaper. The current study highlights the importance of taking into account farmers' objectives and the production environment when designing breed improvement programmes and recommends packaging of breeding together with feeding interventions.
The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) in Northern Kenya is currently under development, scheduled to bring 300MW of wind generation online by the end of 2016. The economic issues raised by the ...structure of the Kenyan electricity market include a fixed feed-in tariff for the wind generators on the system, and a strict Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This agreement appears to significantly constrain the ability of the Kenya Power Company to operate the power system in a reliable and efficient manner. This paper analyzes the impact of different price policies on the operation of the LTWP coupled with pumped hydro storage. In particular the modeling results compare the system behavior when operating under the fixed price regime versus dynamic pricing defined by use of locational marginal prices. In addition, benefits from allowing the Kenya Power Company to spill wind as needed, rather than a strict requirement to take all wind power generated are investigated. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of system-driven prices produce a significantly different operational strategy than the fixed price model. Results also show that the exclusion of dispatch flexibility in the form of wind curtailment results in increased price volatility, particularly during periods of high winds.
As systems intensify, crops and livestock become increasingly integrated. Forage from crops becomes a larger component of overall forage supply in small-scale systems. This paper integrates ...information from field trials, studying the effect of varying maize planting density, with modelling approaches to compare this with supplementation of maize stover, genetic improvement of stover digestibility and replacement of the maize crop with planted forage in east and southern Africa. Aggregate analyses for small-scale intensive (SSI) systems producing milk were carried out using a suite of models including CERES, CROPGRO, DRASTIC and ANORAC, scaling-up to regional level using GIS information. Increasing planting density increased the yield of thinnings, but decreased grain and stover yields. Model predictions of milk production from the thinnings and stover produced from one hectare of maize indicated that economic benefits to increased planting density could be achieved when the grain:milk price ratio was low, despite the negative effect on grain yield. Supplementation showed the greatest economic returns with small positive impacts on soil fertility and maize production. Replacing maize with planted forage inevitably increased milk at the expense of maize production. Again, for this intervention, grain:milk price ratios ranging from 0.19 to 2.88 across sub-Saharan Africa are likely to influence the decision of the farmer whether or not to trade milk for grain. Genetic enhancement of the digestibility of maize stover was found to have little impact on milk production because diets based on stover were deficient in nitrogen, preventing animals from benefiting from the increased energy supply resulting from digestibility increases. Other factors such as market access and stability, as well as individual objectives such as cash flow, food security and risk minimisation, were not explored in the present study but will influence household decisions. More complex analyses, accounting for these factors, may be required to predict adoption behaviour, however, the results of the study can be used to evaluate the potential returns to investment in research in the different areas using an economic surplus model.
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