Atieno, G.

Ayuko, S.O.

Kinyua, Charity

Lukuyu, Ben A.

Momanyi, E.

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 1      Characterization of livestock production systems and the potential of feed-based interventions to improve livestock productivity in Muhoroni sub-County, Kenya Atieno, G.,1 Ayuko, S.O.,2 Momanyi, E.,2 Lukuyu, B.3 and Kinyua, C.3  1 Nyando Sub-County Directorate of Livestock Production, Kenya 2 Muhoroni Sub-County Directorate of Livestock Production, Kenya 3 International Livestock Research Institute  September 2016 2  © 2016 This publication is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Licence. To view this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/  The Feed the Future Kenya Accelerated Value Chain Development (AVCD) program seeks to widely apply technologies and innovations for livestock, dairy and staple crop (root crops and drought-tolerant crops) value chains in order to competitively and sustainably increase productivity, contributing to inclusive agricultural growth, nutrition and food security in 23 counties in the country. Supported by the United States Agency for International Development as part of the US government’s Feed the Future initiative, its main goals is to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger in the Feed the Future zones of influence in Kenya. In partnership with the International Crops for Research Institute for Semi-Arid Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Potato Center (CIP), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) will lead the implementation of AVCD. The three CGIAR centres will work closely with partners—county governments, NGOs, CBOs, private sector actors and other USAID-funded projects/programs, as well as leverage knowledge and best practices from academic institutions and foundations. This document was made possible with support from the American people delivered through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the US Government’s Feed the Future Initiative. The contents are the responsibility of the producing organization and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of USAID or the U.S. Government. Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID grant number AID-BFS-11-00002-10   USAID/Kenya contact: Mary Onsongo, activity manager,  Email: monsongo@usaid.gov ILRI contact: Romano Kiome, program manager Email: r.kiome@cgiar.org                              1   Introduction  Muhoroni sub-County is one of the sub-Counties making up Kisumu County covering an area of 700 km2 (Table 1). Muhoroni sub-County borders Kericho County to the south, Nandi County to the north, and Nyando and Kisumu central sub-Counties to the west (Figure 1). Kisumu County has the largest number of improved dairy cows, estimated to about 9000 (Table 2).              Table 1: General statistics of Muhoroni Sub County     Area (km2)  669.90 Area under water (km2)  46.90 Total arable land (Ha) 43,600.00 Area cultivated (Ha) 29,730.00 Major rivers  Nyando, Oroba, Mutwala, Tonde  Number of farm families   31,124.00 Area under infrastructure  118.30 Figure 1: Geographical map of Muhoroni Sub County 2   Table 2: Livestock population by type Livestock type Population Improved dairy cows 9 000 Local zebu cattle 28 000 Local poultry 180 000 Sheep 6 000 Dairy goats 150 Local goats 5 400 Donkeys 800  Total land area under irrigation in the sub-County is 1290 ha with seven irrigation schemes out of a possible 1603 ha (Table 3). Sugarcane is the most prominent cash crop cultivated in the area under a total area of 6 500 ha while maize is the main food crop cultivated under an area of 4 200 ha (Table 4). Table 3: Land under irrigation in Muhoroni Sub County Irrigation scheme Area (Ha)   Wisawa 140 Rangenya  80 Komugra Aboyi 100 Landi Nyatini 120 Alungo A  100 Alungo B  120 Alungo C  80  TOTAL (Irrigable Area)  1,603 Total Area Under Irrigation  1,290   3     Table 4: Major food and industrial crops grown in Muhoroni sub-County Major food crops  Area (Ha) Maize 4200 Beans  980 Sorghum  1200 Rice  2070 Cassava 65 Sweet potatoes 120 TOTAL   8635 Major Industrial crops   Sugarcane  6500 Cotton 50 Coffee 60  Methodology The objective of the survey was to assess the farming system of the site with an emphasis on livestock feed availability and use with the aim to develop a site-specific strategy for improving feed supply and utilization through technical or organizational interventions.   The survey was conducted in three out of the five wards of Muhoroni (Miwani, Chemelil and Muhoroni/Koru). The three wards are located within a settlement scheme. In all, 16 farmers were selected with a distribution mix of gender, age and farm size of the village. The selected farmers took part in a focus group discussion (FGD) and subsequently 9 (obtained by selecting 3 each from the 3 major landholding categories namely small, medium and large) were selected from those who participated in the FGD to take part in one-on-one interviews. Data analysis  The quantitative data collected from the focus group discussion and one-on-one interviews were entered into the FEAST excel template (www.ilri.org/feast) and analysed. Results are presented in tables, graphs, pies and bar charts. Results and discussions Farmholdings Farms sizes were categorized into small (0-3 hectares), medium (3-10 hectares) and large (10 hectares and above) landholdings. The majority (60 %) of the respondents belong to the small land size category, while 30 % to the medium-size category, 10% to the large category, and with none under the landless category (Figure 2). The smaller parcels of 0.25 hectares are a result of the customary land tenure system in which land is partitioned between the members of the nuclear family. Sale and leasing of land are common practices in the study area. Land is leased at KSH 12,500 (US $ 125) per hectare.  4   Figure 2: Households by landholding category  Rainfall pattern and corresponding cropping seasons There are two cropping seasons in the year: ‘Chiri’ the long rainy season (March – August) and ‘Opon’ the short rainy season (October – November). The dry season ‘Oro’ sets in between December to January and a short dry spell in September.  Livestock holdings The dominant livestock species kept are improved dairy cows, sheep, local dairy cattle, indigenous poultry and donkey.. (Figure 3).  010203040506070Large Medium SmallPercentage 5   Figure 3:  Dominant livestock by average TLU/household  Household income The business contributes to the highest (34%) of household income followed by crop agriculture (32%) and livestock (29%) (Figure 4).                                       Figure 4: Household income sources by activity 00.20.40.60.811.21.41.61.82Improved Dairy Cattle Sheep Local Dairy Cattle Poultry - VillageConditionsDonkeyBusiness34%Cropping32%Labour2%Livestock29%Remittance3%6  Labour availability  Labour is available throughout the year but the cost is high during peak activity periods such as land preparation, planting, weeding and harvesting. All farm jobs are performed by both gender and no pay disparities exist as a result of gender.  Crop production The following major crops are cultivated in Muhoroni: maize, sugarcane and beans. Maize is the dominant food crop while sugarcane is the major cash crop in the sub-County. Other crops grown in the area include beans, sorghum and kales (Figure 5). The average land sizes on which the crops are grown varies with maize (0.5 Ha), sugarcane (0.4 Ha) and common beans (0.2 Ha).     Figure 5: Dominant crops cultivated in the area    00.10.20.30.40.50.6Maize (Zea mays) Sugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)Common Beans(Phaseolusvulgaris)Sorghum (Sorghumbicolor)Kale (Brassicaoleracea)Hectares Under Cultivation 7  Fodder production The dominant forage crop, Napier grass is planted on averagely 0.09 Ha per household while Sesbania and Calliandra are planted less (Figure 6). Only  2 % of the land has been set aside for forage production and so fodder is collected from the rangelands to feed animals.   Figure 6: Dominant fodder cultivated by hectares    00.020.040.060.080.10.12Hectares8  Livestock feed sources The feed sources in the area are collected fodder, grazing, cultivated fodder, crop residues and purchased feed. Collected fodder provides the bulk of nutrient intake dry matter (DM) - 74%), metabolisable energy (ME - 72%) and crude protein (CP - 70%). Most of the collected fodder is obtained from sugarcane plots and also from the factory’s nuclear estates. Grazing provides between 12-13% of DM, ME and CP intake needs while cultivated feed accounts for less than 10 % for all 3 nutrient categories (Figure 7). The dominant purchased feeds are rice and wheat bran mainly fed to poultry and some dairy animals during lactation (Figure 8). Crop residues mostly in the form of sugarcane tops, maize stovers, sweet potato vines and beans haulms provide less than 5 % of all 3 nutrient components. Farmers expressed that there is enormous pressure on land for food, cash and fodder crop production.                   Figure 7: Dry matter, Metabolisable energy and Crude protein intake by source  Collected Fodder72%Crop Residue7%Cultivated Fodder5%Grazing13%Purchased Feed3%Dry Matter IntakeCollected Fodder74%Crop Residue5%Cultivated Fodder5%Grazing12%Purchased Feed4%Metabolisable EnergyCollected Fodder70%Crop Residue3%Cultivated Fodder9%Grazing12%Purchased Feed6%Crude Protein  9         Figure 8: Dominant purchased feed types by kg                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Milk and livestock prices Sale of milk contributes significantly to household income. Milk prices are quite stable all year round and this represents an opportunity to increase milk offtake. Most farmers (80%), use artificial insemination services for breeding.    0100200300400500600kg Purchased per Year10  Key challenges and suggested interventions Farmers identified some of the major problems they face in livestock production as the high cost of inputs, cattle theft, insufficient livestock feed, unavailability of breeding stock and insufficient veterinary services.  Proposed solutions 1. The high cost of inputs could be addressed by bulk purchasing, farmers forming institutions to market farmer produce and purchase inputs on behalf of farmers in bulk. Farmer groups such as OSIEPE practical action group who are planning to open an agro-vet shop where members can access inputs on credit against their shares. 2. Cattle theft could be addressed by the formation of vigilante groups and community policing. 3. Insufficient livestock feed could be addressed by increasing the area under fodder crop, introducing high yielding fodder crops and fodder conservation. 4. Unavailability of breeding stock could be addressed by engagement in an artificial insemination campaign (A. I) to improve the genetic merit of locally available stock. 5. Insufficient veterinary services could be addressed by farmers lobbying the county government to employ more livestock technical extension staff and training of community-based village extension assistants. 6. Crop residues can be processed for conservation or used as fresh harvest. The crop residues can be processed with molasses and urea, to improve the palatability thus improve the dry matter intake, metabolisable energy and crude protein intake.  7. Other improvements include better disease control measures, the introduction of high yielding fodder and building strong farmer institutions to market farmer produce and farmer lobby groups for advocacy.   References Department of agriculture livestock and fisheries annual report 2015           Directorate of livestock production annual report 2015    11  Annexes 1. Context attribute scores S/No. Context Attribute Score (0-4) Reference 1 Availability of cash 2 Question 1.8 FEAST discussion guide 2 Availability of input delivery 2 Question 1.10 FEAST discussion guide 3 Availability of knowledge 3 Based on facilitator’s best judgement 4 Availability of labour 3 Question 1.6 FEAST discussion guide 5 Availability of land for fodder cultivation 2 Question 1.9 FEAST discussion guide 6 Availability of water in the growing season 4 Question 1.5.2 FEAST discussion guide                           0     

Characterization of livestock production systems and the potential of feed-based interventions to improve livestock productivity in Muhoroni sub-County, Kenya

Oyugi, J.M.

Odera, D.

Olwana, G.

Characterization of livestock production systems and the potential of feed-based interventions to improve livestock productivity in Luanda sub county of Vihiga County, Kenya

https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/10568/112961/1/avcd_kenya_luanda_west.pdf

Characterization of livestock production systems and the potential of feed-based interventions to improve livestock productivity in Muhoroni sub-County, Kenya

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