Lack of access to commercial concentrate feed supply and inadequate knowledge on the use are among the challenges hindering market-oriented livestock development in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) Region. Continue reading
Transhumance livestock production is extensive, and has little market orientation. Households engaged in the production system own large numbers of indigenous livestock compared to sedentary producers. Continue reading
Habil Abdu operates a specialized goat fattening enterprise in South Wollo, Ethiopia that is exemplary in its market orientation. Continue reading
The LIVES project demonstrated intercropping of improved fodder species with fruits in Sidama and Gamo Gofa zones. Intercropping of fruits with short maturing crops such as vegetables and leguminous fodder species enables fruit producers to get multiple benefits such as incurring additional income from fodder and vegetables; improving soil fertility from leguminous fodder and enhancing the water productivity (yield per unit of water consumed). Continue reading
Smallholder farmers’ skills and knowledge about modern fattening practices in West Gojjam zone, similar to other zones in the Amhara region, vary significantly. In order to alleviate this gap, LIVES together with Amhara Regional Livestock Agency and Mecha District Office of Agriculture, organized a half day event on ‘fattened cattle competition’ in Merawi town on April 2015 where 60 smallholder fatteners from Mecha District presented 123 fattened cattle.
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Koga irrigation scheme is one of the few largest irrigation schemes in Ethiopia that are managed by smallholder farmers. The LIVES project supports Rhodes grass producers and seed traders at the Koga irrigation scheme by mentoring and demonstrating propagation methods, production practices, seed harvesting, processing and handling practices. Continue reading
In February 2015, the Oromia Region Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project implementation committee carried out a field visit in West Shoa zone. The objective of the visit was to gain better insight of what’s on the ground so that feasible activities can be planned for the following project year. Continue reading
