aistand south~ern afrkca - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

Sweet potato vines, pigeon pea leaves and
lablab are particularly important protein
supplements during the dry season as they
remain green almost throughout this season,
Table 8 provides some data on the chemical
composition of some of the agricultural residues
and other locally available feed resources in
Kondoa District.
Economic analysis
A diagnostic survey and analysis conducted by
the researchers identified a number of problems
existing in the farming system, including:
" low income and poor productive based
farming system
" nutritional problems due to inadequste diet
especially for children due to unavailability of
milk and meat
. inefficient resource allocation and underutilisation
of resources like crop residues,
In order to improve the system and minimise
some of the above problems, a socio-economic
study was initiated with the specific objective of
examining the effect of introducing zero-grazing
technology in relation to income distribution,
labour utilisation and the mobilisation of
farmers towards this technology,
The hypotheses were:
" Income of the cooperating farmers has
increased in comparison with those farmers
with no livestock;
" Introducedzero-grazirgtechnologyisneutral
to income distribution;
" Introduced zero-grazing technology is
increasing or stimulating general awareness
towards development opportunities; and
" Zero-grazing is changing the division of
labour in households,
The result,8 of this 3tudy, which will lead to a
Master of Science degree, have not yet been
published. However, preliminary results from
interviews with the wives ofthe households with
improved cattle under a zero-grazing system
show that the work load has increased for women
and children.
It is considered that zero-grazing technology
has provided milk to families keeping the
Tab e 8. Chemical composition of some feeds inthe HADO areas.
Feed
Groundnut hatlms
Sweet potato vines
Makadkad hay
Digitada grass (fresh)
Digitarla grass (hay)
Maize stover
OM Ash
re-inLroduced animals and their neighbours. It is
expected that malnutrition-related problems
would have been reduced to a certain extent. A
specific study is currently being conducted in the
target areas in order to establish the impact of
the zero-grazing technology on aspects ofhuman
nutrition.
Recommendations for future milk
market outlets
Currently, there have not been an problems
y
with the marketing of milk in the rural areas. As
more farmers are becoming involved in keeping
the improved dairy cows in the closed areas it is
likely that in future milk will flood the market.
The poor transportation system will limit
disposal of this product to external markets.
Studies on appropriate technologies of processing
the milk to produce products of a longer
shelf-life should be initiated.
Potential of small ruminants and
poultry in HADO areas
While there is a great possibility of eliminating
shorte s gre po blm of epi int f
shortages ofmilk, the problem ofthe provision of
meat is still unresolved. I is generally not
expedient
and only
to
unwanted
slaughter
bulls
dairy
and
animals
cull cows
for
should
meat
be
slaughtered. A system of keeping the small
ruminants (sheep and goats) tethered in the
conservation areas as an alternative meat
supply of could be considered.
Poultry could also be a useful source of meat
and income in smallholdings. Chickens are
particularly attractive as specialised housing
need not be provided. If they were confined, their
manure could be collected and used as a
supplement for dairy cow rations and as a
valuable source of non-protein nitrogen.
Farm draft power
Under special concession the HADO authorities
authorised the re-introduction of oxen and
donkeys for ploughing during the period of land
preparations and harvesting. However, creates a
problem of introducing diseases such as East
Coast Fever to the stall-fed improved cattle.
DM composition (%)
CP NDF ADF
- - 13.8 35.8 8.2
- - 8.1 87.3 10.7
- - 6.6 74.2 8.2
- - 10.9 72.1 12.2
- - 8.2 75.2 9.1
91.9 7.9 2.4 73.3 -
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