Assessment of Livestock Feed Resources, Feeding Practices and Coping Strategies to Feed Scarcity in Agro Pastoral Production System in Itang District, Gambella, Ethiopia

Yien Deng Pathot

Abstract


The study was conducted in Itang district of Gambella, south-western Ethiopia with the objective to identify the available feed resources, feeding systems and coping strategies to feed scarcity under Agro pastoral system and pave the way suitable for research interventions for the improvement of livestock production and productivity in the area. Using random sampling technique, three kebeles each with 30 respondents were selected. A total of 90 respondents were interviewed to generate the data. Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentages, standard error and standard deviation were used to present the results. The result showed that the livestock feed resources was natural pasture (48.89%), browse trees (23.33%), crop residue (17.78%) and standing hay (10%). the use of improved forage as livestock feed was not practiced. the feeding system practiced was free and full-time grazing system (93.3%) and cut and carry system (6.7). The seasonal feed shortage and feed variability in quantity and quality are the major challenges affecting livestock productivity. The cause of feed resource shortage was shortage of rain (40%) followed by overgrazing (27%), flood (15%), over population (10%) and settlement of falata nomad tribe (8%). The coping mechanism to feed scarcity was herd mobility, burning of range land and use of fodder trees.  Feed conservation in the form of hay as a copping mechanism for feed scarcity was not practiced. The study recommends that Government and research institutions should create Awareness on conservation of feed resource as hay at the time feed of abundance and encourage agro pastoralist to practice proper utilization of available crop residue, Introduction of improved forage technologies could help agro pastoralist to cope up with feed scarcity, Agro pastoralists should be encouraged to adopt the best coping strategies that can deal with the challenge of feed scarcity, and regional government with the concerned body shall adopt a policy that could limit or stop the influx of falata nomads from north Sudan in to Gambella region.


Keywords


Coping Strategies, Feeding Practices, Feed Resources, Feed Scarcity

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