Forage seed supply in Ethiopia – some thoughts on current status and how it might evolve

Alan Duncan+, Jean Hanson+, David Spielman* and Ranjitha Puskur+

+International Livestock Research Institute*International Food Policy Research Institute

National Forage Seed Workshop, EIAR Addis Ababa, 12-14 May 2011

Background

Feed supply is a persistent bottleneck to increasing livestock productivity in Ethiopia

Indicative prices for different fodder types (ETB/kg) in various

woredas.

Prices are adjusted for inflation figures published on www.indexmundi.com

Traditional exports

Meat

Horticulture

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1980 1990 2000 2004

Val

ue o

f ex

port

s (1

980=

100)

0

50

100

150

200

250

1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

Kca

l con

sum

ptio

n/ca

pita

/day

(1

981=

100)

Changing diets ̶ a new agriculture of high value products and non-traditional exports

As livestock production intensifies, more need for high quality feed

Smallholders face competition for feed from fattening enterprises. E.g. Noug cake

Better breeds demand better feeds

Developing country exports

Developing country consumption

Meat

Cereals

Horticulture

World Development Report 2008

Feed supply patterns are changingKahsay Berhe (2004) study in Yarer Mountain area

Cultivated land has doubled at the expense of pasture in 30 years

Switch in source of nutrition for livestock from grazing to CR

Rice straw

(grown)57%

Green fodder (grown)

26%

Con-cen-

trates (pur-

chased)1%

Open grazing

16%

Khairpara, Bangladesh

Dietary composition of livestock – Bangladesh and Ethiopia

Sorghum stover

Maize stover

Harri-cot bean haul

ms

Chickpea straw

Sweet Potato vines

Mieso – Western Haraghe

Feed scarcity is an issue

Absolute scarcity of biomassShortage of protein to improve

utilization of poor quality feeds

Planted fodder is a possible solution

Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana)

Expect from 10 to 25 tonnes dry matter per hectare. Crude protein content is around 13% in young grass

Fodder adoption

Fodder has a low adoption rate in Ethiopia because...– Dominance of arable production– Small landholdings– Free grazing culture – minimal

confinement– Knowledge intensive nature of

planted fodder– Lack of forage seed

Reaction to low uptake ...

Reaction is to “push” planted fodder through research and extension system

This has had limited long-term success because....

Sustainable seed delivery mechanisms were not developed

Seed system is largely focused on major cereals like maize, wheat, and teff

High quality forage not connected to markets for livestock products

Forages are knowledge intensive and require lots of technical input to succeed

An alternative is to foster small-scale entrepreneurs to develop forage seed businesses

This is also challenging because entry into seed production is risky

Feed is an intermediate commodity

Forage seed sector also suffers from being a further intermediate in the livestock value chain

Fodder seed production is risky

Distortion of market by high prices paid for seed by NGO’s – unfair competition?

Other risk factors

Limited land available for seed production at any significant scale

Most forages are OPV’s and therefore replicable on farm (although this has not limited forage seed entrepreneurs in other countries such as India)

Entrepreneurs face constraints such as access to credit access to land limited business skills or experience lack of basic/certified seed

The way forward ... Research needs

A 6 point manifesto

Point 1: Supply and demand study

Assess supply and demand for improved forages

This would support targeting of hot spot areas (high intensification, market orientation and supportive institutions) for interventions

Need to consider trade-offs with existing uses of land, labour and capital and matching forage species to niche.

Point 2: Forage seed demand assessment

Assess the extent and stability of demand for forage seed

Willingness to pay among farmers?

Indicative net margins for potential entrants?

Point 3: Identify institutional models

Identify different context-specific institutional models for forage seed supply and agribusiness development

This will include looking at case studies from other countries (India, Thailand ...).

Match these models with farmer needs. Work with relevant actors to stimulate

implementation of such models

Point 4: Apply innovation systems approaches

Explore ways to link actors with relevant sources of knowledge e.g. through forage seed working group

Assess alternative knowledge sharing methods to raise awareness of benefits (economic, soil, water) of forages

Assess enabling environment and needs for policy development to support forage seed supply and agribusiness

Point 5: Capacity development

Farmers – practical training on forage and forage seed production management

Extension workers (Government and NGO sectors) – knowledge to understand how forages fit systems (benefits of forages, targeting species to niches, sources of seeds), technical knowledge on forage and forage seed production management to support farmers

Policy makers – working with policy makers to develop policies to support small scale and farmer forage seed production and marketing

Point 6: Knowledge sharing

Share information on cost benefits of forages and forage seed production more widely

Share market information on forage seed demand and supply to link growers and traders

Translate information about benefits, forage management, seed supply into local languages (already started with fact sheets but more is needed)