Forage Conservation - Its Place in African Livestock Production.

Nomadism and transhumance are the traditional systems of livestock husbandry in Africa. Although long vilified, it is now recognized that these systems are well adapted to the fragile arid and semi-arid zones. However, several developments pose threats to this way of livestock production. Modern governing systems tend to emphasize private land ownership and services geared towards sedentary populations. Increasing population pressure, increased permanent occupancy of land, and reduction of fallow in the sub-humid areas are reducing availability of feed resources for pastoralists. Increasingly, sedentary farmers compete with pastoralists for scarce feed resources by engaging in livestock husbandry. In this presentation we will reflect on the potential of forage conservation in form of hay or silage to alleviate feed shortages for pastoralists. Data will be presented from a recent project focused on custom haymaking as a source of income for youth in central and western Kenya.