Rapid livestock feed assessment tools to support intervention strategies: FEAST and Techfit

1. Rapid livestock feed assessment tools to support intervention strategies: FEAST and Techfit Alan DuncanTechfit Development Meeting May 23-24 2013

2. Feed interventions often do not work – why? • Failure to place feed in broader livelihood context • Lack of farmer design and ownership • Neglect of how interventions fit the context: land, labour, cash, knowledge etc FEAST Techfit

3. FEAST The problem

4. Feed assessment • Conventionally focuses on: • The feeds • Their nutritive value • Ways of improving nutritive value • 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.?

5. How does FEAST work?

6. PRA • General description of farming system • range of farm sizes, • farm labour availability • annual rainfall pattern • irrigation availability • types of animals raised by households. • General description of livestock production • the types of animals raised (% of households raising these animals and average herd/flock sizes) • the purpose of raising these animals (e.g. draught, income, fattening, calf production) • the general animal husbandry (including; management, veterinary services and reproduction). • Ease of access to credit • How available are necessary inputs – plastic, urea, concentrates etc • Problem identification and potential solutions

7. Quantitative questionnaire • Animals – livestock inventory • Crops - yields and areas to derive crop residue availability • Cultivated forages – yields and areas • Collected fodder: proportion of diet • Purchased feed • Grazing: proportion of diet • Contributors to household income • Production. • Milk production • Sale of livestock • Seasonality. • Feed supply: overall seasonal availability • What is fed in different months?

9. Sample output

10. More sample output

11. Final output • Feast report with some ideas for key problems and solutions • Better links and understanding between farmers, research and development staff

12. Recent developments • Data aggregator • Imports FEAST data into central database • Currently standalone but plans to move into online environment

13. www.ilri.org/feast

14. Techfit The problem

15. Feed What is your main problem

16. What feed technologies have you got? Planted forage Urea treated straw Bypass protein OK, let’s try those

17. A solution

18. Techfit • A discussion support tool for prioritizing feed technologies

19. The core concept

20. Matching context to technology Score x =

21. Technology filter Score Main filter Technology list Pre-filter

22. Cost-benefit assessment • What does the technology cost? • Inputs, labour, land etc? • What does the technology deliver? • Enhanced milk yield, improved reproductive performance, better growth etc • Does it make sense?

23. Final output • Ideas for some promising feed interventions that might work • Better understanding of why the usual suspects often don’t work.

24. Recent refinements – additional filters • Already in use – yes, no? • Potential to mitigate constraints - score • Seasonality – (dry season shortage, growing season shortage?) • Quality – animals already intake constrained. • Biomass – animals not intake constrained.

25. Recent refinements – additional filters • Applicability to commodity - score • Beef • Dairy • Sheep/goats • Pigs/poultry • Applicability to farming systems - score • Pastoral • Agro-pastoral • Mixed • Commercial grassland – what do we mean by this?