Improvement of the Feed Availability in Pastoral Zones of East Africa- A Review

Abstract

Pastoral areas in East Africa mostly consist of arid and semi-arid land which are majorly occupied by livestock farmers. The areas are characterized by prolonged drought which adversely affects the availability of the pastures and fodder. Feed resource availability depends on the rainfall patterns and the browse found in the pastoral zones is majorly characterized by thorn bushes which are of low carrying capacity The quality and availability of the feeds in rainy seasons are high thus achieving the general livestock productivity while in the dry season, there is poor quality and quantity, low digestibility, low crude proteins and mineral deficiency. Other than droughts, some factors affect the availability of the feeds in these zones like land degradation which lowers the growth of the pasture, poor grazing management, land use, subdivision of land, inadequate skills to produce and conserve feeds, and lack of information. The quantity and the quality of the available feed resources can be improved by strategies such as pasture rehabilitation, conservation of fodder, integration of pasture and forage into the farming system, utilization of irrigation, improved grazing land management practices, like destocking and controlled grazing, and physical treatments such as soaking, chopping and chemical treatments, such as ammoniation and urea treatment. In conclusion, future efforts should aim at enhancing feed production and storage at the local level as well as developing sustainable use of land resources by pastoralists to produce feeds throughout the year to support constant livestock production. These developments in feed availability are essential in maintaining pastoralism livelihoods in East Africa.

Keywords: Arid and semi-arid, Drought, Feed availability, Improvement strategies