L.R. Ndlovu and S. Sibanda
Department of Animal Science
University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Livestock in communal areas of Zimbabwe are dependent on natural veld during the rainy season and on crop by-products during the dry winter months. The main types of stovers available are from maize and sorghum, whilst groundnut hay is the main legume stover. However, the quantities produced, vis-a-vis the livestock numbers, are inadequate and thus need to be used judiciously. Adoption of technologies that would improve the utilisation of these feeds would benefit farmers communal areas. Very few of the farmers have adopted these technologies. Reasons for this lack of adoption include restricted flow of information, lack of cash to buy inputs, lack of appropriate processing equipment, low quantities of complementary crop residues and multiple roles of livestock. It is necessary that there is a great need for on-farm research and for researchers to interact directly with farmers to better appreciate their problems and resources.
Communal area farmers are found mainly in natural regions 4 and 5 (Clatworthy, 1987). These areas are characterised by low and eratic rainfall (less than 500 mm per annum on average) and can have long spells of dry periods within the rainy season. In addition, the soils are poor and fragile. Livestock in these areas is mainly dependent on natural veld during the winter months (Sibanda, 1986). However, because of the soil types and rainfall patterns the amount and type of cropping varies greatly and so does the availability of crop residues. The main types of cereal stovers found in the areas are from maize and sorghum, whilst groundnut hay is the main legume stover found. The quantities of the stovers available can be estimated from grain production by assuming that the grain yields are equivalent to the stover yield. In 1987 the residues obtained in communal areas are reported as follows:
maize 2 million tonnes,
sorghum 80,000 tonnes,
soya beanstalks 2000 tonnes,
groundnut hay 70,000 tonnes,
Source: CSD, 1988
The livestock population in the communal areas, estimated by the Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, indicates that in 1987 there were about 3 million cattle, 1.6 million goats and about 260,000 sheep. As all this population would have to depend on crop residues for about 2-3 months of the year, it is apparent that the crop residues are inadequate and need to be utilised judiciously to achieve even a modicum of livestock production.
Crop residues are generally of low nutritive value to ruminant livestock because of high fibre and low nitrogen content and, consequently, low degradabilities in the rumen. There are notable exceptions like groundnut hay tops, sweet potato leaves and cottonseed hulls, to name a few. With some treatment, chemical or physical, the nutritive value of the residues can be improved (Mason and Owen, 1986). Supplementation with energy and/or protein sources without treatment has also been found to improve the nutritive value of stovers (Dixon, 1985; Ndlovu and Buchanan-Smith, 1985). In Zimbabwe several experiments on improving utilisation of crop by-products through physical treatment, chemical treatment and supplementation (Reynolds, 1984; Smith et al, 1987, Ndlovu and Manyame, 1987) have been done on station. The results from these trials have not yet been adopted by the farmers. Sibanda (1986) noted that even though the majority of farmers in communal areas now harvest stovers, very few supplement the stovers on feeding.
This paper aims to discuss some of the reasons that contribute to this anomalous situation where technology exists but is not utilised by the group most likely to benefit from it.
Restricted flow of information
Lack of cash to buy inputs
Lack of appropriate processing equipment
Low quantities of complementary crop residues
Multiple role of communal area livestock
Research in Zimbabwe is mainly carried out at research stations or the University, even though aimed at solving communal area problems. The flow of information from the researchers to the farmers is infinitely slow. Very few researchers report their results in publications anyway. Field days organised to show the public research in progress usually attract commercial farmers only. Thus there is a need for the researchers to communicate with the farmers, not necessarily through extension personnel.
The resources available to the communal area farmers are limited and cash for livestock inputs is scarce. Urea, ammonia and other alkalis that can be used to treat crop residues are expensive. The probability of them being extensively used in communal areas without financial aid of one form or another is remote. Using ureas as a supplement at feeding would require smaller amounts and thus be cheaper than other forms of nitrogen supplementation. However, there is a real danger of poisoning the animals through excess urea. Hydration (Ndlovu and Manyame, 1987), even though inexpensive, can only be done in areas with abundant water supplies. Very few communal areas enjoy adequate water supplies.
Pre-feeding processing such as chopping and milling are known to improve the utilisation of crop residues. However, communal area farmers cannot afford to purchase and run power-driven machines. Production of hand and animal driven machines such as chaff-cutters would be beneficial. Presently these machines are not available.
Supplementation of cereal crop residues with legume hays would be an effective, simple and cheap way of improving the use of crop residues. However, this is constrained by the small quantities of legume hay produced in communal areas due to inadequate rainfall and poor soil types.
Lastly, the aims of the communal area farmer vis-a-vis his livestock may not be conducive to adopting technologies that require extra input. Researchers, therefore, need to link technologies to improved crop production (and milk production) rather than improve animal per se. In Zimbabwe, most communal area farmers keep cattle primarily for draught and manure (Scoones and Wilson, 1988). Therefore, appealing to the farmers' own objectives would enable scientists to sell their technology.
It is concluded that restricted flow of information from scientists to farmers, the unsuitability of the technologies proposed and the nature of the message reaching the farmer are serious constraints to adoption of research results. There is a need for on-farm research and researchers serving as extensionists.
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