In this study, the nutritional values and seasonal availability of 43 local feed ingredients for pigs in Uganda, were estimated based on nutrient analyses and literature values, information needed to develop low-cost balanced rations for pigs on smallholder farms. Continue reading
A new working paper from CIAT report focuses on the current state of forage seed systems in Kenya under both formal and informal sectors and seeks to provide useful information for farmers and development actors looking or likely to engage in tropical forage seeds, especially in Kenya. Continue reading
Prepared for the ILRI-BecA Hub 15 year event on 3 February 2016, this poster explains ways research in the Hub aims to increase availability of quality forage in the program areas of Kenya and Rwanda through the development and promotion of drought and low fertility adapted Brachiaria grass varieties. Continue reading
A recent study of ‘Perceptions and practices of farmers on the utilization of sweetpotato, and other root tubers, and banana for pig feeding in smallholder crop-livestock systems in Uganda’ calls for further exploration of strategies to conserve such crop residues during the harvest period to reduce waste and improve incomes for smallholder pig farmers in Uganda. Continue reading
We recently published a paper looking at how the Ethiopian dairy innovation system has functioned to support the development of the Ethiopian dairy sector and what have been the major technical, economic, and institutional constraints in the process. Continue reading
This brief highlights findings from observational and experimental studies on pig diets in East Africa. It will help researchers design trials to develop diets for local pigs. It provides information for extension workers on local feeds that are high in energy, fat and protein. Continue reading
This poster, prepared for the Tropentag 2014 conference, presents findings from a study by ILRI to characterize the pig feeding systems in Uganda in terms of the use of local feed resources and gender roles. Continue reading
During the lifetime of the Fodder Adoption Project ILRI established local innovation platforms at various field sites around Ethiopia. The idea behind these was to provide a forum for key livestock feed stakeholders to get together and jointly plan actions to improve the livestock feed situation for smallholder farmers. One such innovation platform was established … Continue reading
Earlier this year, ILRI joined national and international partners in two ‘feed assessment’ projects in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Livestock Feeds project (funded by ACIAR) and the ‘QuickFeed‘ early win project of the Africa RISING program both set out to test a suite of rapid diagnosis tools to identify promising feed and fodder interventions. At the … Continue reading
Three reports from the six-month ‘Fodder and feed in livestock value chains in Ethiopia – trends and prospects’ project were recently produced by ILRI. The project was led by ILRI and involved the Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research, the Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute and the International Center for Research in the Dry Areas. The … Continue reading
Feeding innovation 