1. Assessment of Feed Intervention in Lemu Bilbilo District, Arsi Highlands, Ethiopia by M. Yami, T. T.haimanot, E. Lemma, B. Begna and T. Etana Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center EIAR
Africa-RISING Quick Feed Project Synthesis Workshop, Addis Ababa, 3-4 September 2012

2. Site Description
A survey was conducted in Lemu- Bilibilo district, located in Arsi zone, Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia.
Lemu-Bilbilo district is located about 235 km South - East of the capital Addis Ababa on the highway towards Bale zone
The area receives an annual rainfall of around 1100mm, of which more than 85% is during the main rainy season (June to November).
And the average annual temperature ranges from 6 to 26C.

3. Criteria for Site Selection
Lemu-Bilbilo was purposively selected based on its dairy potential in consultation with District Agricultural Experts
Bekoji Negesso kebele was selected from 27 kebeles in the district based on:
accessibility
dairy production potential

4. in Lemu-Bilbilo District, Arsi Highlands, Ethiopia
FEAST
Characterization of the Farming and Livestock Production Systems and the Potential of Feed-based Interventions for Enhancing Productivity through Improved Feeding
in Lemu-Bilbilo District, Arsi Highlands, Ethiopia
Objectives
To gain an understanding of the overall farming and livestock production systems, and
To identify key areas of the feeding strategy that could improve livestock productivity

5. Methodology
Three villages (Cheffa, Mirti laman and Tulu-Negeso) were randomly selected from the Bekoji Negeso PA
A total of 36 farmers were purposively selected on the basis of SLF results from the villages
And the selected farmers were categorized into three groups; above average, average and below average.
Then, 9 farmers each from the above average and 9 the below average were selected for individual interviews using semi-structured questionnaires.

6. Overview of the farming system Contribution of household income

7. Livestock production system
(a)
(b)

8. Feeds and feeding: Seasonality
(a) Both roups

9. Feeds Quality – Dry Matter
a. Above averages
b. Below averages

10. Feeds Quality – Metaboilze Energy
a. Above averages
b. Below averages

11. Feeds Quality – Crude Protein
a. Above averages
b. Below averages

12. Problems and constraints
Problems in order of importance
Problem identified by farmers in both groups
Proposed solution by farmers in both groups 1
Feed shortage
Improved forage development and decrease livestock number 2
Lack of water
Natural water resource development and installation of tap water 3
Lack of credit/cash
Increase accessibility to credit service 4
Shortage of VET. and AI. service
Training of farmers in AI service and increase number of vet. Technicians. 5
Awareness and communication gap (in below average group only)
Frequent capacity building training on general welfares of livelihood, create close communication habit with livestock production experts through training

13. Opportunities
Opportunities that contribute to the improvement of the sector do exist in the area. These opportunities are:
Accessibility of all-weather road in the district as well to the PA
Good agro-ecology with favorable climate
The emphasis given to livestock production by the government
The existence of high demand for livestock products due to population pressure
The possibility to obtain more benefits on smaller plots of land

14. Awareness creation trainings on:
Areas of intervention  
Awareness creation trainings on:
the utilization of improved technologies (improved forages and feeding techniques) particularly to the farmers in the below average group.
how to get credit, about the repayment periods and amount of credit offered.
Accessessing the farmers with credit or cash with reasonable amount or loan repayment periods
Assigning numbers of well-trained effective AI and Vet technicians at the reasonable sites in the district.
Development of herbaceous forage legumes and fodder trees species which can mitigate the constraints of feed scarcity.

15. Techfit

16. Prioritization of Feed Technologies using TechFit
Background
Shortage and poor quality of feed is the major constraint.
National and international research programs in the past have generated a range of improved forage and feed technologies.
One of the reasons for lack of adoption could be absence of means of selecting feed technologies fit to a specific location.
Objective: To rank and prioritize suitable feed technologies for Bekoji
Negeso kebele of Lemu-Bilbilo Wereda using tech fit.

17. Methodology Pre-filter of technologies
context relevance and impact potential scores (to screen technologies that are not fit to the area.
Main filter of technologies – Based on
Technology attributes scores (1-5) by experts.
Context attributes scores (1-5) by farmers.
Scope for improvement
Cost benefit analysis
Comparison of estimated cost and benefit of each technology based on assumption.

18. Result and Discussions
Pre-filter of technologies
Based on impact potential and context relevance from 48 technology options the major 12 technologies were dropped regarding their relevance to the study area.
Reason for technology dropping:-
Unavailability of the technology to the area.
less adaptable to the area.
unaffordable to small scale farmers
Main filter technologies
Among them supplement with home produce local breweries, feeding of home grown legumes, use of weed cut grass and tree leaf, refreshing and mixing of CRs before storage and feeding were accordingly favored by the tool and got higher rank as compared to other technologies.
These technologies were further subjected for cost benefit analysis.

19. Feed technologies selected using the Tech Fit tool
Total score
Rank
List of feed technologies
Remarks 49 1
home produce local breweries
Mostly used by home made alcohols producers
. feeding of home grown legumes
Common to the area 45 3
. use of weed cut grass and tree leaf
Mainly practiced during crop growing period 43 4
Re-threshing and mixing of crop residues before storage and feeding
easily applicable without demand for resources

20. Home produce local breweries
Benefit cost analysis of the best bet technologies/cow/day in Ethiopian Birr at Bekoji Negesso Kebele
Technology
rank
Feed technologies
Total
cost
Gross benefit
Net benefit
BCR 1
Home produce local breweries
3.00
4.55
1.50
0.50 2
Feeding of home grown legumes
2.00
2.60
0.60
0.30 3
Use of weed cut grass and tree leaf
3.50
5.20
1.70
0.48
Re-threshing and mixing of crop residues before storage and feeding
2.40
3.25
.85
0.35

21. cont.
The result showed that technology which stood first Home produce local breweries was found economically best profitable by giving economical advantage of 0.50 CBR while Feeding of home grown legumes stood least by 0.30 CBR

22. Challenges/Limitations
Estimation of cost benefit analysis of the best bet technologies was based on assumption.
The feed technology options were more dependent on availability of attributes regardless of potential to the area.

23. Lessons learned
Generate ideas for feed interventions depending on the existing farming system
It was helpful to guide thinking and ensuring that the suggestions for feed improvement take into account system constraints such as land, labor, credit and input delivery
The tool tries to match context scores like availability of land, labor, etc. with list of candidates of feed technologies to come up with short list of promising options.
Tech fit helps to guide thinking of researchers and development workers on feed technology prioritization.

24. VCA

25. Assessment of Dairy Value Chain in Arsi Highlands :The Case of Lemu-Bilbilo District  
The main objective of the study was to undertake an assessment of the dairy value chain actors of the study area.
The following specific objectives of the study are:
Carrying out analysis of the commercial viability of smallholder dairy farming and margin analysis for different milk marketing channels;
To Identify the key constraints and opportunities of milk and milk products marketing;
To propose simple and practical intervention areas, which helps to facilitate milk and milk products marketing that brings sustainable change.

26. Methods of data collection and data sources
Value Chain Analysis approach (VCA) was used.
Review of literature
Secondary data from different sources,
Primary data collected using focused group discussion , key informants & personal observations.
41 farmers from three villages were used for FGD
Discussed with Experts in Livestock Agency, Cooperatives promotion office, Vet drug vendors , Trade promotion office,
KII with cooperatives, cheese & butter traders, milk collectors & processor.

27. Results of Dairy Value Chain Analysis

28. Figure 2: Raw and skimmed milk marketing routes

29. Figure 3 : Butter marketing routes

30. Figure 3: Cheese marketing route

31. Marketing channels Figure 4: Dairy marketing channels

32. Three main market channels for raw milk produced in Limu-Bilbilo district with which it reaches to final consumers.
The final consumers’ in the study area is pre-urban and urban individual consumers, hotels and cafeterias.
Channel 1- Milk consumed by pre-urban individual consumers in the study area
Channel 2 – Milk consumed by Urban Individual consumers in the study area
Channel 3 – Milk consumed by Hotels and cafeteria

33. Margins and Value addition
Raw milk Channel
Marketing margin
Net margin
Share of value added (%)
Producers' share of final price (%)
1. Pre-urban consumers
1.80
1.77
56.5 78
2. Urban individual consumers
3.10 2 49 55
3. Hotels/cafeterias
8.50
5.50 83 43

34. Major constraints Constraints at Input supply Stage Production stage
Inadequate availability and skills of AI technicians
Low quality and poor timeliness of AI and animal health service
Information gap on credit services
Unavailability of demonstration sites on improved forage production in Farmers Training Centers (FTC)
Absence of bull and heifers distribution centers
Production stage
Feed shortage
Very high price of industrial by - products
Lack of knowledge regarding improved feed formulation
Non market oriented production
Processing and marketing Stage
Insufficient capacity of processing machines
Lack of cooling facilities

35. Legal and Institutional Constraints
Weak coordination between union, primary cooperatives and farmers
Existence of too many unlicensed traders
No vertical linkage b/n cooperatives and others
Market infrastructure
Sanitation Problem of milk products
Support service providers
Capacity gap among extension agents and agricultural experts in provision of training on feed formulation techniques

36. Prioritized constraints
Feed shortage
Low quality and poor timeliness of AI and animal health service
Inadequate availability and skills of AI technicians
Lack of knowledge regarding improved feed formulation
Information gap on credit services

37. Opportunities available
Recently connected to major urban centers with good asphalt roads.
Favorable climate and weather conditions with relatively abundant pasture land for expanding the smallholder dairy productions.
Availability of progressive farmers who have adopted the practice of keeping improved dairy cows.

38. Conclusions
Demand for milk & milk products increases with the increase in
population
urbanization, and
recent connections of the area with good asphalt roads.
However, milk supply is below the expected level and could not able to meet this growing demands due to;
Shortage of feed
High price of industrial –by products
Low genetic make up of available animals
Inadequate & inefficient AI services
Absence of institutions in the supply of improved bull and heifers
Lack of knowledge regarding improved feed formulation
Information gap on credit services

39. Recommendations Encourage the development of improved forage.
Trainings on improved forage developments and feed conservations in the form of hay or silage.
Trainings of farmers on improved feed formulation techniques
Improve AI service
In-service training of local service providers:
To enhance the technical skills and knowledge of AI technicians’ short term trainings and refresher courses on relevant areas of dairy management will be the right direction.
Training on community bull selections
Training of farmers on AI services, especially heat detections and reporting

40. Create regular stakeholder forum
This initiative will enable them to discuss common problems, find solutions to them and strengthens networking between dairy value chain players.
Sensitization training on credit service terms and condition
Micro-finance institutions need to create a platform for organizing training in credit service terms and condition for both dairy producer farmers and dairy cooperatives.

41. Thank You