Dry Season Forages for Improving Dairy Cattle Production in Smallholder Dairy Systems

Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve feed resource availability, milk yield and household income for the smallholder dairy farming systems that dominate in the rural Eastern and Central African region. Currently, napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is the major forage in zero-grazing production systems, but production is often constrained. While forage legumes, including Centrosema pubescens and Clitoria ternatea are used to complement napier grass, Brachiaria spp, a new drought tolerant grass, is being introduced. Our results showed that the introduction of drought tolerant forage technologies improved milk yield and household income. Supplementing napier grass and forage legume mixture with Brachiaria and forage legume mixtures by 0.5 ha on farm, elevated household production levels and lead to economic returns of US$677/cow/year

Can soilless farming feed urban East Africa? An assessment of the benefits and challenges of hydroponics in Uganda and Tanzania

This research article was published by Elsevier in 2022East Africa has the potential to boost its urban food production through adoption of soilless farming techniques. The case study assessed the benefits and drawbacks allied with hydroponic vegetable farming among urban and peri‑urban farms in Northern Tanzania and Central Uganda. Snowball sampling was used to identify 150 vegetable farms/farmers through urban farmers’ groups and recommendations from the agricultural organizations from Uganda and Tanzania. Based on the complexity and distinctiveness of this farming system, only 51 individuals engaging in hydroponic vegetable production took part in responding to the semi-structured Google form questionnaire that was issued through social media platforms, face to face interviews and farm visits. Results from the study showed that hydroponics is a climate smart farming system (n = 13, 26%), produces high yields within limited space (n = 24, 48%), has no soil borne pests and diseases (n = 10, 20%) and gives the farmer the ability to control environmental conditions (n = 2, 4%). On the contrary, over 50% of the respondents reported high investment costs (n = 16, 31%) and lack of adequate knowledge on hydroponics (n = 11, 22%) as the main limitations of the technology. Based on farmers’ recommendations, hydroponics has potential to increase food security within urban areas if more efforts are put in sensitization about the farming system and research into ways to reduce the high costs associated with the technology

Environmental Assessment of Climate Smart Agricultural Interventions in Smallholder Crop-livestock Production Systems

Abstract The study evaluated the environmental effects of various climate s mart agricultural interventions (CSAI) in the smallholder production systems of Uganda. Soil fert ility management interventions improved soil pH, soil nitrogen, organic matter, earthworm density and microbial bio mass by 8, 55, 94, 130 and 44.2% respectively. Installation of roof-top water harvesting tanks ensured availability of good quality water whose total coliform concentration was 529, 967 and 1400% lower than in spring wells, ponds and run-off water harvesting tanks respectively. Also, fecal coliform concentration in roof-top water harvesting tanks was 17 and 28 times lower than in spring wells and ponds respectively. The methane-milk ratio fo r feed package A was 54 and 97% higher than the ratios for feed packages B and C. The results of the study implied that in the face of climate change and variability, CSAI have the potential to sustain high productivity of crop livestock through enhancing soil fert ility, water availability and feed utilisation of animals. The study called for fu rther research to establish appropriate manure applicat ion rates for different crops and manure types as well as to improve the quality of water collected in run-off water harvesting tanks

Homecoming of Brachiaria: Improved hybrids prove useful for African animal agriculture

Species of the genus Brachiaria originate primarily from Africa, where they are constituents of natural grasslands. Due to their adaptation to acidic, low-fertility soils, millions of hectares of Brachiaria species have been sown as improved pastures in South and Central America, especially B. brizantha cv. Marandu and B. decumbens cv. Basilisk. Due to B. decumbens' susceptibility to spittlebug insect pests in the Americas, CIAT in Colombia and EMBRAPA in Brazil initiated breeding programmes in the 1980s. First cultivars released from CIAT's breeding programme – cvs. Mulato and Mulato-II – have also been investigated in African countries. They have been examined for integration in conservation agriculture systems (Madagascar), for drought and acidic soil tolerance (Rwanda) and for intercropping forages in dairy systems (Uganda, Madagascar), among others. Seed sales to African countries suggest that an area of at least 1,000 ha has been sown so far. The largest adoption of cv. Mulato-II is currently happening in eastern Africa, where it is used by over 20,000 farmers as a trap plant in the push-pull system for control of maize stem borers and parasitic Striga weed. Cv. Mulato-II's particular advantage is its relatively high crude protein content due to greater leafiness and thinner stems than those of traditional Napier grass, resulting in higher nutritive quality. Yet new pest challenges have emerged, requiring further research attention. Diverse hybrids are in the pipeline for release, among them those that are suitable for cut-and-carry systems which are prevalent in eastern Africa. This paper reviews research, development and incipient adoption of new Brachiaria hybrids in African countries. (Résumé d'auteur

The effect of intercropping maize with lablab on grain and fodder production in small holder dairy farming systems in Masaka district, Uganda

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Dry season forages for improving dairy production in smallholder systems in Uganda

Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve feed resource availability, milk yield and household income for the smallholder dairy farming systems that predominate in the rural Eastern and Central African region. Currently, Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is the major forage in zero-grazing production systems, but dry-season production is often constrained. Our results from 24 farms show that sowing forage legumes, including Centrosema molle (formerly C. pubescens) and Clitoria ternatea, with Napier grass and Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato improved both yield of forage and protein concentration. Sowing of 0.5 ha Napier-Centro plus 0.5 ha of Mulato-Clitoria increased milk yield by 80% and household income by 52% over 0.5 ha Napier grass monoculture. Possible income foregone from the crops which could have been grown on the additional 0.5 ha must be considered in assessing the economic viability of the system.</p