SUMMARIES OF THE GROUP DISCUSSIONS ON TROPICAL FORAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION.

At the 7th Meeting of the Regional Working group on grazing and feed resources for Southeast Asia, participants and country coordinators of the regional working group were briefed by the FAO Senior Officer on the need for a wider perspective in activities of the regional working group. There are many global issues affecting agricultural development in developing countries. Research programmes must acknowledge current concerns on poverty alleviation, genetically modified food, equity, gender and sustainability.  All R & D activities should attempt to address these issues by developing technology and economic activities that sustain rather than degrade the natural environment, enhance human health and well-being and development within the limits of natural ecosystems. In this context, the participants were asked to review previous major R & D on forages and feed resources, technology adoption and impact on economic development and social improvement and to formulate action plans or strategies for future forage resources development, improvement and sustainable livestock production in Southeast Asia.

Participants were divided into three groupings based on commonly practiced production systems, namely: 

Group 1: Plantation integration and agro-industrial systems

Group 2:  Upland and extensive grazing systems

Group 3: Lowland and smallholder crop-animal systems

Report on Group 1:  Plantation integration and agro-industrial systems

The presence of a range of perennial tree crops in many of the countries of Southeast Asia provides a common platform for the development of integrated systems involving ruminants.  This group concentrated on production systems integrated with perennial tree crops like coconut, rubber, oil palm and fruits as well as the use of available agro-industrial by-products.

A: Previous major focus of  R & D on  forage and feed resources in plantation crops like oil palm,  rubber and coconut.

These were:

• Screening for shade tolerant species under limited light transmission in Malaysia
• Characterization of light transmission studies in oil palm and rubber plantations in Malaysia
• Assessment of forage dry matter availability and quality in Malaysia
• Determination of stocking rate and animal performance under tree crops in Malaysia and Philippines.
• Imperata grassland improvement under coconut in Indonesia.
• Use of  shade trees as browse for goat feeding in Indonesia
• Use of cover crops for goats in oil palm plantations in Indonesia.

B: Adoption rate and impact on economic and social improvement and sustainability

Under the livestock integrated plantation systems:

• Use of native shade tolerant species for livestock integration in plantation. In Malaysia 70 farms covering an area of 56,000 acres in 1997 increased to 167 farms    and 115,000 acres.
• Use of introduced species like Brachiaria decumbens in cococnut plantations. The adoption rate was moderate in Philippines.
• Use of native and introduced browse species in coconut and cocoa holdings. The adoption of native and introduced browse species was high in certain locations. In Indonesia cut and carry studies on B. decumbens, Centrosema pubescens and Calapogonoiun mucunoides under coconut . 
• The impact of such technology was rated highly in terms of economic, social and environment aspects.

Under the agro- industrial production systems involving fattening and feedlotting:  

• many studies on the use of agro-industrial by-products for livestock production using     ensilage, fresh feeding, urea  and microbe treatment technologies.

Agro-by-products such as:

• Oil palm by-products (PKC, POS, PPF OPF)
• Rice by-products (brans, polishings, hull, broken rice)
• Fruit industry waste (pineapple waste, passion fruit waste)
• Soya waste/hull. Corn gluten feed, sugarcane tops, molasses, baggasse and juice
• Sago waste and pith, copra cake, fishmeal. “cotton” seed (kapok),
• Tapioca waste, brewers’ grain, banana waste, sweet potato waste, peanut vines, fish meal, sawdust treated with microbes, wheat bran and pollard, organic waste eg. poultry litter and abattoir wastes.           

Adoption rate of utilization of agro-industrial by-products was rated high. The impact of economic, social and environmental sustainability has been considered high. Some effort has been made on conservation of forages.

C: Priority Area for future focus on feed for livestock development:

 In plantation crops:

• Importation of cattle, improve breeding efficiency and
• Increase local stock production.
• Promotion of cattle integration
• Training on fodder management
• Improve extension services
• Increase local seed production

In agro-Industrial systems

• Import cattle, improve breeding efficiency and increase local stock numbers.        

Favourable governmental policy towards livestock production

• Undertake critical R & D to spearhead development.

D: Constraints of production systems 

      Oil palm:

• Insufficient stock numbers for integration
• Reluctance of large plantations to integrate
• Lack of expertise in ruminant husbandry among plantation owners

      Coconut holdings:

• Not enough stock and improved forage seeds
• Lack of technical know-how in ruminant production

       Agro-industrial systems:

• Lack of feeder cattle
• Export price must be more attractive
• Price fluctuation affected by international market forces
• Poor management and utilization of agro- by-products

E: Government policy /Agriculture and Livestock Ministry on future strategies

• Provision of subsidy to farmers
• Provide specific and pertinent training and extension service
• Increase funding for R & D
• Undertake R & D to improve efficiency use of agro-industrial by-products.
• Establish a regional network for technology transfer and R & D database.

F: RECOMMENDATIONS

• Regional training on plantation/integrated/industrial systems
• Funding for R & D from external and internal sourcing
• R & D personnel to be trained overseas (both short and long term) in countries with well developed industrial systems.
• Further R & D to increase efficiency of utilization of forage and agro-industrial by-products under sustainable production systems.
• Establish a regional e-network for technology transfer and R & D database.

Group 2: Uplands and extensive grazing systems

These include grazing native grassland, upland forest and forest margins.  They are generally low-input-low output systems, with reduced opportunities for   development through improved technology use.

A: Adoption Rate and Impact (on economic and social development, and environment   sustainability).

Adoption rate

• High in some areas
• Moderate in some areas

• Increase sources of animal feed
• Improve animal productivity
• Improve farmer income
• Soil conservation
• Sources of fuel energy
• More efficient on the use of land

• Rejection of some species
• Limited or absence of seed supply
• Lack of access to information
• Lack of input factors such as fertilizer, man power, etc.
• Financial limitation
• Lack of pilot demonstration
• Lack of animal utilization of by-products
• Decreasing land for crop and anima production

• More research and development of new species and data on the adoption to specific areas
• Conservation technology
• Free distribution of seeds through Government assistance
• Department of Agriculture to work with Government media office for propagation of      information
• Provision from Government assistance of foreign funding to assist in providing    fertilizers
• Source from large private companies to assist in man power development
• Relax importation rules, less tariffs, priority for imported breeding stock
• In the Philippines, relaxing of Agrarian reform law

• Selection of appropriate species for specific sites and production.
• To increase seed production locally
• Establish Network System, media – Radio/TV advertisement, Government sponsored   – inclusion in primary education
• Establish demonstration plots in many places
• Imported breeding stock to have follow-up care of these animals
• Promote rearing and breeding of animals.

Group 3: Lowland and smallholder crop-animal systems

Flat land and sites characterize these with slopes up to 8%, relatively more arable land and production of annual food grains important such as the rice-based systems involving ruminants and non-ruminants.

A: Previous major focus areas of forage research and development

• Mainly species evaluation, management studies and utilization
• Seed production research for grasses and legumes.
• Limited R& D on improved pasture under coconut ( Paspalum conjugatum, B.  brizantha, Arachis  pintoi, Stenotaphrum secundatum, Gliricidia and Leucaena).

• Slow to moderate adoption rate of forage technology in Thailand.  Adoption is mainly confined to the dairy farmers and in the Philippines on small ruminant and breeding farmers.
• The impact has been very subtle.  For the few adopters especially in the dairy sector, this had resulted in high income and better living standard in terms of food,   education and social status and food security.
• For environmental sustainability, there was improvement in soil fertility and reduced soil erosion.
• Reduced use of inorganic fertilizers especially if legume species are planted.

• Lack of extension workers to assist in forage development technology
• Limited supply of seed and other planting material
• Weak linkage between farmers, extension worker and researchers
• Lack of long –term and continuous commitment of financial and technical support  from government
• Limited appropriate forage techology for lowland production
• Problems of water logging, salinity and decreased soil fertility in lowland.

• Seed and other planting material production and distribution
• Technology transfer system to deliver appropriate technology to farmers
• Supply of good breeder and feeder animals
• Create market  access for produce in terms of meat, milk and even forage

• Multiplication of seed and planting material in station and farmer group/ individual farmers.
• Participatory approach involving researchers, extension workers and farmer groups. Continuous monitoring and  feedback mechanism
• Subsidy from government in form of seed, training, breeding animals and loan (at least 5 years)

• Supply/ provide seed and planting materials complemented with R & D on improving seed production technology
• Continuous evaluation and selection of promising forage species for lowland environment sustainability
• Supply of good quality animals through government credit facilitates.
• Integrated approach towards more environmental friendly activity/ technology.
• For efficient adoption of technology/ innovation, farmer participatory approach should be encouraged.

1. Seek additional internal and external funding for R & D on forage and other feed resources.
2.  Enhance technology transfer at all levels of development through effective training, field days, courses, visits and road shows.
3. Improve and promote exchange of supply of quality seed and planting materials among member countries.
4. Develop cow-calf operation in order to increase breeder and feeder cattle supply.
5. Development of forage and agro- by-product based technology packages for improved management and utilization in livestock systems.
6. Networking for greater access to databases on forage and livestock production in Southeast Asia.
7. Promote environmentally sustainable livestock production systems.