Working Group for S.E. Asia

This group was established in 1989 and covers several millions of hectares of improved grassland and forage production under tree crops (coconut, oil palm and rubber), rice areas, backyard forage production, natural grazing land and hilly country.

The group has established efficient mechanisms for transferring technology to farmers in all countries, and it has consolidated firm links between national institutions dealing with research, training, extension and the development of grassland/livestock agriculture, specifically those dealing with perennial tree crops, and with other international institutions.

The group's fifth meeting was held in Laos in January 1996, the sixth in the Philippines in October, 1998, the seventh in Manado, Indonesia 2-7 July, 2001 with the theme "Forage development in Southeast Asia: strategies and impacts" and the eighth in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia 22-27 September, 2003 with the theme "Forages and feed resources in commercial livestock production systems".

The types of activity undertaken include:

intensification of backyard forage production for beef cattle and dairy production;
research on the selection of shade-tolerant species for use under tree crops;
enhanced use of leguminous fodder trees and selection/multiplication of Leucaena leucocephala for acid soils;
establishment of pilot field demonstration on pasture/forage production under oil palm coconut and more recently under rubber;
local grass and legume seed production among farmers to avoid foreign imports (Thailand especially).
training in seed production.

FAO has supported grazing activities under coconuts in Philippines, farm-level seed production for Gliricidia sepium in Bali, Indonesia, production and demonstration of fodder legumes in Viet Nam and fodder tree establishment, management and feeding in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Those involved in the Working Group are mainly senior staff actively involved in field work.

The Group has held a series of meetings since 1989 and for details of the Workshop Proceedings refer to:

Forages and Feed Resources in Commercial Livestock Production Systems, Proceedings of the 8th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources for Southeast Asia, 22-28 September, 2003, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Forage development in Southeast Asia: strategies and impacts, Proceedings of the seventh meeting of the Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources for Southeast Asia, held in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia 2-7 July 2001, 187 pp.

Integrated crop-livestock production systems and fodder trees, Proceedings of the sixth meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia, 5-10 October, 1998, Legaspi, Philippines, 243 pp.

Feed resources for smallholder livestock production in Southeast Asia, Proceedings of the fifth meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia, 16-20 January 1996, Vientiane, Lao PDR, 120 pp.

Enhancing sustainable livestock-crop production in smallholder-farming systems, Proceedings of the fourth meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia, 20-24 March 1995, Nha Trang, Vietnam, 251 pp.

Strategies for suitable forage based livestock production in Southeast Asia, Proceedings of the third meeting of Regional Working Group onGrazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia, 31 January-6 February 1993, Khon Kaen, Thailand, 265 pp.

Utilisation of native forages for animal production, Proceedings of the second meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia, 26 February-5 March 1991, UP Los Banos, thePhilippines, 229 pp.

Grasslands and forage production in Southeast Asia, Proceedings of the first meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resourcesof Southeast Asia, 27 February-3 March 1989, Serdang, Malaysia, 216 pp.

Papers and reports

Dr. Frank Moog has forwarded details of a study undertaken in Philippines by Elenita Espinosa and F. Gabunada of "On-farm evaluation of tree leaf supplementation using Leucaena leucocephala and Gmellina arborea to goats under traditional feeding management"

Researchers in Malaysia led by Fook Yuen Chin have reported on a study carried out on "Forage intake by grazing cattle under oil palm plantation in Malaysia".

Nguyen Thi Mui (from the National Institute of Animal Husbandry in Hanoi, North Vietnam) has submitted a report entitled "Winter Fodder Improvement in North Vietnam" by Nguyen Thi Mui et al. (2000) which details a number of trials on fodder crops undertaken with consultant Dr Dost Muhammad. The well illustrated report concluded that "Avena sativa cultivars Pd2LV65, Swarm, Scotland and Ogle were promising in winter fodder improvement in North Vietnam. However seed production and seed quality aspects need to be further researched". Much of the material in this report is made available in the report of Dr. Dost Muhammad (see below).

Reports of work undertaken in Xinjiang, China and North Vietnam by Dr. Dost Muhammad on "forage crops for winter fodder" are available.

International Coordinator:

Dr. F. Moog
Chief Research Division
Bureau of Animal Industry
Visayas Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Phone: 0063-2-92050503
Fax: 0063-2-9204769
e-mail: < f.moog@globe.com.ph>
< famoog@hotmail.com >

National Coordinators:

Indonesia:

Dr. D. Kaligis
Dean of Animal Science Faculty
University of Sam Ratulangi
Kampus Bahu Unsrat
Manado 95115
Indonesia
FAX: 0062-431-822568
Phone: 0431-859970
e-mail: < david_kaligis@yahoo.com >

Laos:

Mr. Viengsavanh Phimpchachanhvonsod
Livestock Research Centre
P.O. Box 6766
Vientiane
Lao PDR
e-mail:vieng63@laotel.com
phone: 856 21 222796
Fax: 856 21 222797

Philippines:

Ms Remy Acasio
Research Division
Bureau of Animal Industry
Visayas Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Phone: 0063-2-9204769
Fax: 0063-2-9204640
e-mail: < reymer71@yahoo.com>

Malaysia:

Ms. Aminah Abdullah
c/o MARDI Research Station
Kubang Keranji
P.O. Box 154
15710 Kota Bharu
Kelantan
Malaysia
Phone: 609-7653900
Fax: 609-7652900/7651900
e-mail: < aminahal@mardi.my >

Thailand:

Dr. Chaisang Phaikaew
Forage Research Section
Division of Animal Nutrition
Dept. of Livestock Development
Phyathai Rd., Rajthewee
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
FAX: 662-251-1941, 250-1314
Phone: 662-251-1941, 250-1314
e-mail: fspthai@ksc.th.com >

Viet Nam:

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mui
National Institute of Animal Husbandry
Thuy Phuong, Tu Liem
Hanoi
Viet Nam
FAX: 84483 44775
Phone: 01483 43267
e-mail: < nguyenthimui@yahoo.com >