Constraints of Improved Forage Adoption in East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Inadequate quality and quantity of animal feed is a highly significant factor that affects production of livestock in Ethiopia. The major feed sources (crop residue and natural pasture) did not support even the annual maintenance requirement of livestock feed. Thus, to fill this gap, the production of cultivated forage is essential. However, the production and utilization of improved forage to animal feed is low in the highlands of Ethiopia due to different constraints. So, identifying constraints and opportunities of improved forage production is important for designing forage development strategies and intervention options for forage and livestock production. So, this study was conducted to identify the main constraints of forage production in three agroecologies. Of all agroecologies, two districts were selected by simple random sampling system, and a total of 12 peasant associations from six districts (two peasant associations from each district) were selected by simple random sampling system. Thus, a total of 30 respondents were selected by simple random sampling system from each peasant association. Of all agroecologies, a total of 360 respondents were interviewed by simple random sampling system. The data were gathered through focus group discussion and interviewing of individuals and analyzed by SPSS. Approximately 51% of the respondents did not produce cultivated forage crops due to land shortages, lack of awareness and seed, and fear of farmers towards birds set on forages. Thus, awareness on forage production, efficient utilization of cultivated land, utilization of fallow land for forage production, and planting or sowing of improved forage crops with food crops, in contour strips areas and homesteads areas can enhance the adoption of improved forage production in the study areas.