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Forage conservation is an important potential solution to seasonal variation in feed quality and quantity and herder‐farmer conflicts in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Considerable variations exist in the type of forages conserved and the preservation methods across SSA. Hay from cultivated forages is commonly made with mechanical mowers and balers by large‐scale commercial farms. In contrast, smallholder farmers, who dominate farming on the continent, make hay from natural pastures and straw from crop residues or stockpiled forage. Mechanized harvesting and storing of silage are also practiced by commercial farmers in various countries including South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Smallholder farmers rarely make silage, despite repeated recommendations about its potential to bridge the dry season feed gap. This is due to the limited resources, knowledge, and skills. Hay and silage produced by smallholders is typically poor in quality due to use of lower quality forages, improper storage methods, and lack of an economic incentive because feed prices do not reflect quality in most regions. This paper discusses the status of forage conservation across SSA and recommends strategic interventions and technologies to improve the quantity, quality, safety, pricing, and utilization of preserved forages in SSA. Key deductions include the need to raise awareness about their role in bridging the feed gap, to build capacity and invest in appropriate technology, to optimize their production and use, to develop mechanisms to relate prices to quality, and to incentivize women and youth and the private sector to engage further in making and selling preserved forages. Core Ideas: Low forage availability and poor quality during dry season limit livestock productivity in sub‐Saharan Africa.Improved forage preservation as silage and hay are recommended to meet this forage gap.Hay making, and crop residue preservation are practiced in sub‐Saharan Africa, but need improved techniques.Silage‐making is mostly limited to commercial farms, due to technical, financial, knowledge, and resource limitations.Improving awareness, knowledge, skills, and affordability of equipment can improve adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study undertakes an ex‐ante evaluation of the effects of alternative technology and policy options on soybean supply and demand in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) to 2050. Current soybean consumption in SSA is dominated by cooking oil followed by soybean cake used as animal feed. Due to weak processing sectors and low soybean yields, the region is currently importing about 70% of its consumption requirements. Based on the results from a geospatial bio‐economic modeling framework, soybean consumption in SSA is projected to more than double by 2050 compared to 2010 due in part to a rising population and rising incomes. On the other hand, supply from domestic production is projected to increase by 80% over the same period. Hence, by 2050, net imports into SSA would be nearly 4 times higher than supply from domestic production. Under a future drier climate, some of the production gains achieved through soybean research and extension would be lost and this would further worsen the soybean demand gap in SSA relative to the baseline. This study shows that relying on conventional breeding alone to increase soybean yields in SSA would not be enough to substantially reduce the future demand gap. A combination of promising innovations affecting the soybean value chain across SSA would be needed to close the soybean demand gap in SSA by 2050 under a drier future climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]