Feeding livestock year-round requires innovative approaches. This post reports on an innovation in India that helped to convert wasteland grass into enriched silage after value addition and densification. It is now being explored as a commercial opportunity. Continue reading
The work of the MilkIT project to enhance dairy-based livelihoods in India and Tanzania through feed innovation and value chain development approaches was recently reported in IFAD’s 2016 annual report. Continue reading
Multi-stakeholder innovation platforms were set up at different levels as part of the milkIT project, resulting in more milk sales, more interactions and better linkages among different value chain actors in India, and, in Tanzania, access to a larger variety of better feeds. This video explains how the milkIT project worked with innovation platforms Continue reading
The milkIT project hypothesis was that improvements in milk markets would lead to increased productivity by farmers. This video explains the approaches followed: linking farmers to markets (using market ‘pull’ to drive productivity increases) and farmers’ productivity increases which will attract the market to them. Continue reading
The Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST) was one of the key tools used in the milkIT project to assess local feed resource availability and use, guiding targeting and appropriate intervention strategies. This video explains how FEAST was used in the project: Continue reading
Rye grasses are widely grown cool season grasses that are better suited and have greater agronomic potential in the northern mountainous regions of Pakistan. Since 2015, the AIP-ILRI project has been working to improve dairy production through higher biomass production of improved fodder varieties, especially in mountainous areas like Gilgit. Continue reading
The various livestock feed companies in Pakistan are suggesting that livestock farmers must introduce calf starter to their calves at the age of three months, at a recommended dose of 10% of their body weight. The AIP-ILRI project has been working to improve livestock production and create awareness among livestock farmers that they must fatten their calves to get higher economic returns. Continue reading
Under the AIP-Livestock project (ILRI-ICARDA), cactus was introduced to farmers in the dry areas of Chakwal and its adaptation was tested and its value as animal feed was evaluated. Continue reading
This report shares results and lessons on productivity-enhancing feed interventions developed through MilkIT, a project to promote milk production in India and Tanzania. Continue reading
This report reflects on the potential role of innovation platforms as spaces to identify and spread useful
innovations associated with dairy production and feeding. It draws examples from MilkIT, a project to promote milk production in India and Tanzania. Continue reading
Feeding innovation 