In January 2012, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded a six-month project to scope feed issues in livestock value chains in Ethiopia. The project is led by the International Livstock Research Institute (ILRI).
The purpose of the project is to develop a preliminary understanding of how feed components of intensifying livestock production systems in Ethiopia are changing as systems intensify and how this is reflected in the feed-related elements of focal value chains.
Project objectives are:
- Develop value chain maps for feed-related elements of prominent dairy, beef and sheep value chains in Ethiopia and to gather indicative data on flows, volumes, prices of feeds and fodder associated with those value chains.
- Assess demand for and the price – quality relationships for feeds and fodder at different stages along the intensification continuum within study sites. Also to determine if / how feed quality messages are passing along the focal chains and if they are, what are the perceived and actual characteristics of better quality feeds that command premium prices?
- If there are feed quality price premiums, what are the impacts of the higher quality feeds on smallholder farmers in terms of livestock productivity and profits?
- Use the above information to allow future trends to be predicted and to support interventions to enhance smallholder-based feed supply and trade leading to more value, more employment and reduced margins and costs.
- Test and refine emerging tools for feed resource and demand assessment, value chain analysis, rapid market appraisal and feed technology prioritization for subsequent application in wider CGIAR Research Programme (and other) contexts.
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This project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR); it is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish.
CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish 