23.07.2013 Views

Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Rica, 47 ha in Honduras, and 97 ha in Nicaragua, whereas for sugarcane<br />

374 ha are needed in Costa Rica, 61 ha in Honduras, and 800 ha in<br />

Nicaragua.<br />

Strategy <strong>to</strong> Promote the Adoption of New Technologies<br />

The requirements <strong>to</strong> reach a level of adoption similar <strong>to</strong> Level 1 are<br />

relatively easy <strong>to</strong> achieve given the large benefits that can be obtained in<br />

terms of reduced production costs and increased cash flow due <strong>to</strong> the<br />

substitution of purchased inputs <strong>with</strong> improved germplasm. Use of family<br />

labor, frequently underutilized or <strong>with</strong> a very low opportunity cost, especially<br />

in Nicaragua and Honduras, is more efficient.<br />

The strategy <strong>to</strong> ensure successful adoption of Level 1 and subsequent<br />

advance <strong>to</strong>ward other levels of adoption consists in establishing strategic<br />

alliances <strong>with</strong> organized farmers groups and/or extension agencies. These<br />

alliances allow the:<br />

• Identification of producers interested in establishing seed multiplication<br />

plots on their farms so that they become facilita<strong>to</strong>rs for the local<br />

expansion of new areas in each region, and<br />

• Creation of a followup mechanism <strong>to</strong> find markets for the seed<br />

produced, by identifying early adopters.<br />

Conclusions<br />

The potential benefits that result from the progressive adoption of new<br />

forage options based on grasses and legumes validated by the Tropileche<br />

Consortium include the following:<br />

• Level 1 of adoption (new germplam based on Cratylia and sugarcane <strong>to</strong><br />

substitute feed supplements for herds) allows producers in all three<br />

countries <strong>to</strong> completely eliminate the need <strong>to</strong> purchase feed supplements<br />

for the herd, especially during the dry season. This effect has a large<br />

impact on the cash flow of producers because milk production cost can<br />

be reduced by 14% in Costa Rica, by 25% in Honduras, and by 11% in<br />

Nicaragua.<br />

• Level 2 of adoption (areas of Cratylia and sugarcane similar <strong>to</strong> Level 1,<br />

plus variable areas of Brachiaria in each country) not only offers the<br />

benefits obtained <strong>with</strong> Level 1, but also allows the producer <strong>to</strong> maintain<br />

the same milk production and herd size in a smaller area, thus releasing<br />

areas <strong>to</strong> be allocated <strong>to</strong> other alternative uses. The released areas vary<br />

from 9% in the case of Honduras <strong>to</strong> 39% in Costa Rica and 45% in<br />

132

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!