Enhancing dairy production through capacity building of farmers’ cooperatives in cattle nutrition
ILRI, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Livestock, and the National Agricultural Research Institute of Burundi (ISABU) trained farmers from dairy cooperative in the provinces of Cankuzo, Rutana, Makamba, Rumonge, and Muyinga on fodder production and conservation techniques. The training which was conducted from 14 to 24 February 2024 was done through the Capacity Development and Technical Assistance Project under the African Development Bank's TSF-TAAT initiative. This training builds upon an earlier one of model farmers in climate-smart forage production and livestock nutritional needs, held from 18 to 22 September 2023, in Cibitoke for 11 cooperative members, five provincial livestock officers, and 22 pilot farmers from the provinces of Cankuzo, Rutana, Makamba, Rumonge and Muyinga.
Considered the pillar of the economy, agriculture and livestock are vital to Burundi, providing more than 95% of the food supply and employs 90% of the population. Cattle farming is also the main animal food source in Burundi. Natural forages cover a large area and are a source of livelihood for many farmers, but they rarely provide sufficient feed throughout the year, in terms of quantity and quality, to sustain highly productive livestock. As green pastures are only seasonally available in most regions, the availability of fodder for dry seasons has always been a major concern in many livestock production systems. Thus, dry seasons are often characterized by very poor livestock feeding following a shortage of fodder produced while rainy seasons are, on the contrary, surplus in fodder availability, a dilemma aptly narrated by Jacqueline Nizigama from the Makamba Nyanza-lac commune, ‘We always fear the dry season because we often encounter great difficulties. Our livestock often lack fodder and we are forced to buy it at high prices.’
In response, ILRI Burundi conducted the training on hay conservation techniques, aiming to address these challenges and improve livestock feeding. The hay technique, taught during the training, enables breeders to store large quantities of fodder for use during dry seasons. Simple to implement, the technique covers harvesting, curing, balling, and conservation, emphasizing their impact on hay nutritional qualities.
Enthusiastic farmers, expressing gratitude for the newfound solutions, acknowledge the significance of these techniques in ensuring fodder availability throughout the year. Conscient Nyandwi, the president of the Dushigikirane Twimbure Neza Cooperative in Cankuzo Province, appreciates the hay technique, noting its potential to alleviate fodder shortages during the dry season. ‘Our cooperative had never used this hay technique. We had never heard or seen this technique before. Now we are preparing the calving of our cows so that there is no shortage of fodder and we are delighted with this new technique which we will quickly adopt. This will even allow us to get through the dry season without difficulty.’
Discussions during the training extended beyond hay preservation, covering feed value and nutritional needs of livestock. The training complemented earlier sessions on forage production and multi-nutritional lick blocks, empowering participants to enhance cooperative income through sales of quality forage seeds, lick blocks, and hay balls.
Farmers testify to the effectiveness of multi-nutritional lick blocks, citing improvements in cow reproduction. The leader of the Cankuzo Cooperative shares, ‘Since we started feeding our cows with these lick blocks, we have seen a big change. Our cows could not mate to calve, but that has changed. Four of our five cows came on heat and were mated, which showed us that our cows were lacking certain nutrients, as we were taught by ILRI trainers.’
Thus, the system of strengthening community capacities through agro-livestock feeding techniques constitutes a major asset in improving the productivity of the agricultural sector. These activities ensure a better and more promising future for farmers from the point of view of its advancement,’ states Alain Villard Bimenyimana, animal husbandry specialist, ILRI, Burundi.
In a broader context, these initiatives reinforce community capacities in agro-livestock feeding techniques, a crucial element in improving agricultural sector productivity. Launched in June 2023, the one-year TSF-TAAT project aims to support capacity development in the private sector, collaborating with ISABU, provincial livestock extension services, and dairy farmers' cooperatives to boost dairy production and incomes. This project signals a promising future for farmers and the agricultural sector in Burundi.