Livestock Feeds Assessment in Southern Highlands in Tanzania

Importance of livestock in smallholder farms in Africa continue to be significant in households’ nutrition, incomes and for socio-cultural reasons. However, the sector faces various challenges including management, diseases and feeding among others. With the estimated doubling of demand for animal source foods especially in sub-Saharan Africa, due to rise in human population, efforts for improving livestock productivity are needed. Amongst the costs involved in cattle production, the feeding component takes 70% suggesting greater attention is required in feeding interventions for success to be realised. In an effort to contribute to improvement of livestock production in Southern Tanzania highlands, current feeding status was assessed in 3 districts (Mufindi, Njombe, Rugwe) following Feeds Assessment Tool protocol (FEAST https://www.ilri.org/feast). Information captured entailed; land size categories, livestock species reared, feed resources and seasonality, contribution of livestock to household incomes and most suited interventions were elucidated. In the three districts, dairy remains most prevalent amongst livestock species kept, and livestock in general is important for household incomes. Analysis suggest interventions on feeds and forages addressing protein and energy supply would be crucial, including forages suitable under cut and carry context, prevalent under smallholder farmers settings. Dry seasons are Characterized by inadequate feed resources. The information will guide selection of forage options to be tested through farmer participation, under Climate Smart Dairy Project (2019-2021) in the three districts. Identified farmer acceptable and productive forages will be recommended for the areas other similar ecologies, and by extension support forage development in Tanzania

Typology and characteristics of indigenous goats and production systems in different agro-ecological zones of Tanzania

Tanzania has a goat population of about 24.8 million most of which belong to the Small East African breed distributed in almost all agro-ecological zones. The different goat populations and the production system in which they are raised are not well characterized depriving animal breeders useful information in designing and running improvement and conservation programs. Therefore, the study was conducted in all agro-ecological zones in Tanzania to characterize the indigenous goats and the production system in which they are raised. Data on animals were collected from 688 randomly selected adult female goats and for production system description; 220 households were interviewed. Analysis of variance and discriminant analysis were used on quantitative data, while frequency analysis was used on qualitative data. Income generation and meat production were the primary goat rearing objectives. More than 55% of respondents grazed their animals freely in communal lands where natural pasture was the chief feed resource. Mating was mainly uncontrolled with apron and castration being used by goat keepers as mating control methods. Common diseases were contagious caprine pleural pneumonia and helminthiasis. Feed shortage, prevalence of diseases, and water scarcity were the major goat production constraints. There were morphological variations between and within these goat populations, and based on quantitative data, the goats were categorized into two groups. High twinning was observed in Ujiji and Lindi goats and low for Sukuma. The dominant coat color was plain white in Pare, Gogo, Maasai, and Tanga. Other coat color patterns were mixed black and white for Sukuma, reddish-brown for Lindi, black and reddish-brown for Ujiji, and white and reddish-brown for Pwani and Maasai. High within population variation is observed which is important as it can be used as a basis for genetic improvement through selection

Factors Affecting the Adoption of Forage Technologies under Smallholder Dairy Production Systems in Tanzania

70% of the world’s bovines belongs to LDCs, but they only produce 29% of the global meat and 23% of the global milk output (Jahnke et al. 1988). Current demand for dairy products in Africa largely outweigh their production (Smith 2015; Lukuyu et al. 2009). A comparative study showed a 4.0% demand growth rate against a 3.1% production growth rate of dairy products in SSA between 1990 and 2004 (Ndambi et al. 2007), While, at the same period, Africa’s dairy imports grew at a rate of 2.1% per annum. Numbers demonstrate that SSA’s dairy production potential is yet to be reached

Factors Affecting the Adoption of Forage Technologies in Smallholder Dairy Production Systems in Lushoto, Tanzania

Despite population pressure and the urgent need for dairy production to be doubled by 2050, there is still a significant deficit in milk production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Lack of quantity and quality feed is one of the major factors causing unsatisfactory milk yields. This Working Paper assessed the adoption potential of forage technologies in Lushoto, Tanga district, Tanzania. We carried out an extensive literature review of past work on smallholder dairy production in SSA and Tanzania, and the adoption rate of forage technologies; visited and observed farmers’ fields in Lushoto; carried out interviews with farmers; and used a Qualitative participatory expert-based Assessment Tool for Forage Technology adoption (QATo-FT) in a multi-stakeholder workshop. Results showed that the adoption rate of improved forage technologies in Lushoto is still in the early stages following classical diffusion theories. The farmers’ interviews revealed that while the triggering factors for adoption were related to the shortage of feed and soil conservation problems, the potential economic advantages were not as dominant as expected. Farmers reported the reasons for sustaining the practices of growing improved forages as the year-round availability of fodder, increased fodder demand and accumulated benefits. The low actual adoption rates contrasted with results from the QATo-FT assessment that revealed a high overall adoption potential for Lushoto. The following factors all exerted a positive influence on adoption potential: the general receptive nature of the community towards the technology; the expectations of improved forages on ecological benefits; and the role of promoting institutions. Factors exerting a weaker influence included the political and institutional framework at regional level, and products and input markets conditions for forage and overall livestock farming. Most important barriers to adoption were related to the whole farming system and the wider environment. The opportunity cost for labor was low due to lack of off-farm income possibilities, hence making it favorable for farmers to collect fodder from distant places instead of saving labor through growing forages closer to the homestead. Further, several other livestock management factors confounded potential gains in milk production through improved forages: current breeds were often not sufficiently high yielding to respond to improved feeding; providing water to zero grazing animals was not always achievable for labor-constrained farms; many farmers let forages overgrow for use in times of scarcity (dry season) which led to lower-than-necessary forage being fed to animals; sufficient planting material and extension advice on forage management and harvesting was not always available; milk prices were low and would not be increased if the volume of milk production did not increase (the collection center was operating at < 50% capacity). To increase future forage adoption rates, it is recommended to invest in knowledge transfer, more effective local authority and extension structures, stronger multi-stakeholder partnerships, access to loan and credit facilities, improvement of off-farm income possibilities, better access to input markets including AI and forage planting material, and more favorable output markets. By doing this, the performance of existing heads of cattle for the region would be improved, milk yields would increase and eventually farmers’ income levels would be enhanced. This could improve nutrition, and eventually contribute to poverty alleviation in SSA

Mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence analysis reveals high variation and multiple maternal origins of indigenous Tanzanian goat populations

The Small East African (SEA) goat are widely distributed in different agro-ecological zones of Tanzania. We report the genetic diversity, maternal origin, and phylogenetic relationship among the 12 Tanzanian indigenous goat populations, namely Fipa, Songwe, Tanga, Pwani, Iringa, Newala, Lindi, Gogo, Pare, Maasai, Sukuma, and Ujiji, based on the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop. High haplotype (H-d = 0.9619-0.9945) and nucleotide (pi = 0.0120-0.0162) diversities were observed from a total of 389 haplotypes. The majority of the haplotypes (n = 334) belonged to Haplogroup A which was consistent with the global scenario on the genetic pattern of maternal origin of all goat breeds in the world. Haplogroup G comprised of 45 haplotypes drawn from all populations except the Ujiji goat population while Haplogroup B with 10 haplotypes was dominated by Ujiji goats (41%). Tanzanian goats shared four haplotypes with the Kenyan goats and two with goats from South Africa, Namibia, and Mozambique. There was no sharing of haplotypes observed between individuals from Tanzanian goat populations with individuals from North or West Africa. The indigenous goats in Tanzania have high genetic diversity defined by 389 haplotypes and multiple maternal origins of haplogroup A, B, and G. There is a lot of intermixing and high genetic variation within populations which represent an abundant resource for selective breeding in the different agro-ecological regions of the country

Determinants for smallholder farmers’ adoption of improved forages in dairy production systems: The case of Tanga region, Tanzania

Dairy productivity in sub-Saharan Africa remains below its potential, while there is an increasing demand for milk from its growing population. This study focuses on the adoption potential of improved, more nutritive and productive forages by smallholder farmers in the Tanga region of Tanzania. By applying a qualitative mixed-method approach, including farm visits, interviews and a multi-stakeholder workshop guided by the Qualitative Assessment Tool for Forage Technologies (QATo-FT), we systematically identify and analyse the roles of the (i) institutional and political, (ii) socio-economic and (iii) cultural factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of improved forage technologies. The findings reveal the unsuitable cool climate and unfavourable socioeconomic conditions, including low labour opportunity costs in the dry season as critical reasons for the low current adoption rate. However, a positive community attitude, the recognised ecological benefits and the supporting role of promoting institutions are the main influencing factors of a high adoption potential. Yet, the political and institutional framework at the regional level, as well as the market conditions, negatively influence the adoption potential. We suggest an integrated approach for rural development that goes beyond the improvement of yields, but provides more efficient use of land and labour in the region. View Full-Tex

Determinants for Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Forages in Dairy Production Systems: The Case of Tanga Region, Tanzania

Dairy productivity in sub-Saharan Africa remains below its potential, while there is an increasing demand for milk from its growing population. This study focuses on the adoption potential of improved, more nutritive and productive forages by smallholder farmers in the Tanga region of Tanzania. By applying a qualitative mixed-method approach, including farm visits, interviews and a multi-stakeholder workshop guided by the Qualitative Assessment Tool for Forage Technologies (QATo-FT), we systematically identify and analyse the roles of the (i) institutional and political, (ii) socio-economic and (iii) cultural factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of improved forage technologies. The findings reveal the unsuitable cool climate and unfavourable socioeconomic conditions, including low labour opportunity costs in the dry season as critical reasons for the low current adoption rate. However, a positive community attitude, the recognised ecological benefits and the supporting role of promoting institutions are the main influencing factors of a high adoption potential. Yet, the political and institutional framework at the regional level, as well as the market conditions, negatively influence the adoption potential. We suggest an integrated approach for rural development that goes beyond the improvement of yields, but provides more efficient use of land and labour in the region