Improved pasture Resources in the Madiama Commune of Mali, West Africa: Working with women groups at the village level Ozzie Abaye, Meriem El Hadj and Keith M. Moore Improved pasture Resources in the Madiama Commune of Mali, West Africa: Working with women groups at the village level Ozzie Abaye, Meriem El Hadj and Keith M. Moore Materials and Methods  In all of the African countries women's contribution to the production of food crops is substantial:  Ranging from 30% in the eastern partof Africa to 80% in west Africa.  Produce more than 80% of the food consumed are often overlooked  Women are almost exclusively responsible for domestic tasks including food processing, cooking, cleaning, child care, water and wood collection  Also involved in dairy and the feeding and care of small ruminants. Role of women in Africa The ensiling process 2  The top of the bags were folded, gathered, and wrapped with masking tape.  Fermentation process for either 60 or 90 days. Results Percent CP in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not ensiled October 2002 August 2003 Percent ADF in Cassia tora fresh vs. ensiled October 2002August 2003 Percent IVDMD and TDN in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not ensiled October 2002 August 2003 Air was excluded from samples in the bag by exerting weight on the plastic bags  Almost all the women expressed interest in resolving livestock feed problems  Feed for small ruminants during the dry season Cassia tora was collected at 3 locations Chopped to a length Of 1 to 3cm  Madiama commune is located in northern Mali, in the Niger Delta region, and is characterized by a semi-arid tropical climate.  The lack of pasture and forage resources has been a growing problem in the Sahel region of sub-Sahara Africa.  Critical period of feed shortage is during the dry season (November-May).  Identified Cassia tora as potential dry season feed resource Pasture Resources  To evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora.  To examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of theensiled material.  To provide feed during the dry season. Objectives Fresh sample  The 2002 data are very important as they represent a very dry year with a tremendous shortage of feed  Cassia even at its late stage of maturity provided us with good nutrition composition and thus could provide a good feed source with relatively high nutrient content during the dry season  Cassia silage has the potential to be a sustainable solution to feed shortages during the Sahelian dry season, where feed resource lacks 8 out of 12 months a year  The ability of C. tora to persist and out- compete other species in the Sahel suggests that C. tora may also enhance the physical and chemical properties of the soil Summary  Chemical analyses included Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF),Crude Protein (CP), In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD), and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) 6 Pasture: October/November, 2003