Forage adoption and gaps in Kenya: A review

Generally, livestock production has remained low in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the key areas with potential to contribute in reversing the situation is use of feeds and feeding. While there are various forages that scientifically have potential to increase productivity, in practice their use has remained low. This short review assesses the current forage adoption in Kenya and the potential to close the gap by use of improved forages. In effect, translates to forage seeds and/or planting materials easily accessible by livestock producers. Equally, there is need of capacity building and awareness creation for the livestock producers to stimulate, harness and bolster forage cultivation for increased livestock productivity

Forage seed system in Tanzania - a review report

As feed and feeding take most of the input to realized increased livestock productivity, access to good quality forages for livestock especially dairy and beef animals is key. Over year, and especially in sub-Saharan Africa forage breeding and improvement has been dormant, and rely on maintaining materials developed decades ago, and still with limited access by livestock producers. We set out to understand the prevailing forage seed system in Tanzania, the functioning and use of improved forages for a country with the third highest livestock population in Africa. While subtle forage seed is happening largely by public institutions, there exist room for improvement especially through engaging public private partnership, and explore use of elite forages developed elsewhere that may be beneficial