Improved forages benefits Ethiopian farmers

Livestock - cattle, sheep and goats - are vital for Ethiopian agriculture. The animals feed mainly on crop residues and harvested fields. However, this forage can scarcely satisfy their maintenance needs. The animals do not produce as much milk and meat as they could, and the oxen are sometimes so poorly fed that they have too little strength to pull the plough. In order to improve animal performance, high-quality forage is urgently needed. The Fourth Livestock Development Project (FLDP, 1987-4) of the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) therefore focused on forage improvement..