Akouègnon, G.-E.

Hoffmann, Volker

Schultze‐Kraft, R.

English

University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky UKnowledge International Grassland Congress Proceedings XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress Farmers' Perspectives on Local Feedstuffs and Introduced Forages: Case Study of Four Villages in Northern Nigeria G.-E. Akouègnon Universität Hohenheim, Germany Volker Hoffmann Universität Hohenheim, Germany R. Schultze‐Kraft Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Colombia Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc  Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/23-1/37 The XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress took place in Hohhot, China from June 29 through July 5, 2008. Proceedings edited by Organizing Committee of 2008 IGC/IRC Conference Published by Guangdong People's Publishing House This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Grassland Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu. 　 Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World 　 Volume Ⅱ 　 瞯 ]1121　 瞯Grasslands/Rangelands People and Policies——— Innovation Systems in Grasslands/Rangelands through Education and PracticeFarmers摧 perspectives on local feedstuffs and introduced forages : case study of four villages innorthern NigeriaG‐E . Akouègnon1a , V . Ho f f mann1 , R . Schultze‐K raf t21 Universit惫t Hohenheim , 70593 Stuttgart , Germany , aE‐mail : aguyerick＠ yahoo .com , 2 CIA T , Cali , ColombiaKey words : local taxonomy , indigenous feedstuffs , forage legume , NigeriaIntroduction To support the crop‐livestock intensification process in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria , a �basket" of ９herbaceous legume species was introduced in ４ representative villages . Assuming that the utilisation of these legume optionswas to be compatible with the existing knowledge and priorities , the prevailing livestock feeding concepts were analysed andthen compared retrospectively with farmers摧 perspectives on the introduced forage species .Materials and methods The study was carried out in Gobirawa (７°２６′E , １０°５５′N) , Dan‐Birnin ( ７°１６′E , １１°１５′N ) , Dunki ( ７°３４′E , １０°５５′N) , and Turawa ( ８°０３′E , １１°０４′N ) , where ４ improved varieties of dual‐purpose grain legumes ( i .e . , for foodand feed) and ５ forage species were introduced . The dual‐purpose grain legumes comprised cowpea ( V igna unguiculata) ,soybean ( Glycine max ) , groundnut ( A rachis hy pogaea) , and hyacinth bean ( L ablab purpureus ) while the forage species wereCentrosema pascuorum , Macroty loma uni f lorum , Sty losanthes hamata , A eschynomene histrix , and Chamaecristarotundi f olia . The interviewees were selected randomly ( i .e . , according to their availability ) among the farmers who took partin the legume evaluation process . To elicit the local evaluation and utilisation of the new legume options , periodic focus groupdiscussions were implemented . As entry point for getting insight into local livestock concepts all locally available feed materialswere inventoried using the free listing technique . The rationale underlying the choice and allocation of the local feed resourceswas investigated with contrastive elicitation questions �why not only this . . . why do you still need this one . . ." until a cleardecision model and feedstuff taxonomy emerged ( Gladwin , １９８０) .Results & discussion The main feedstuffs used in the dry season are listed in Table１ . The local forbs , from which A lysicarpusglumaceus and I pomoea spp . were most frequently listed , were cut in rainy season and conserved by rooftop drying .Table 1 Local taxonomy and cross‐v illage listing f requency o f the main f eedstu f f s .Feedstuff Frequency( N ＝ １１) Functional categorisation Linguistic categorisationSorghum stover ６４％A lysicarpus glumaceus ４４ 鼢.２％I pomoea spp . ５０ 鼢.８％�Just to fill animal摧sstomach"NoCiyaw a/GanyeGroundnut haulm ８１ 鼢.２％Cottonseed cake ２０ 鼢.８％Sorghum testa１ ８４ 鼢.４％�Provide livestockwith oil"NoNoNo１ The testa is separated from the endosperm by soaking prior to pounding and winnowingIndependently of their botanical differences the local forbs were lumped together as Ciyawa , i .e . , non‐food wild species . Norelationship was made between groundnut and A lysicarpus glumaceus as species belonging to the same legume family . In fact ,there was no unified concept of legumes as such . Instead the feedstuffs were roughly differentiated in roughages�to fill animal摧sstomach" and concentrates �that give oil to animals" . Correspondingly the introduced legume options were categorised intocultivated crops ( groundnut , soybean etc .) vs . Ciyawa ( non‐food forage species ) . Since indigenous Ciyaw a were stillavailable per �cut‐and‐carry" , the rate of utilisation of the�new Ciyawa" was low ( results not shown) . Contrarily , the grainlegumes were accepted for their grain yield performance .Conclusions Dual‐purpose grain legumes proved compatible with farmers摧 livestock practices and knowledge in NorthernNigeria . Contrarily the�Cyawa‐image" of the introduced forages represents a barrier to their adoption and thus a challenge forex tension .ReferenceGladwin , Chr .H . , １９８０ . A theory of Real Life Choice . An Application to Agricultural Decisions . In : Barlett P .F . ( ed) .Contributions to Rural Development . New York : A cademic Press , ４５‐８５ .

Farmers\u27 Perspectives on Local Feedstuffs and Introduced Forages: Case Study of Four Villages in Northern Nigeria

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Farmers\u27 Perspectives on Local Feedstuffs and Introduced Forages: Case Study of Four Villages in Northern Nigeria

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