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In West African Sahel, there has been an only limited intensification of the mixed crop and livestock systems due to many constraints faced by smallholder farmers including climate change, ...

The expected increase in livestock production to meet its increasing demand could lead to increased water depletion through feeds production. This study aimed at estimating the amount of water depletion through feeds and its corresponding productivity in livestock within the three dominant livestock management systems namely sedentary-intensive, sedentary-extensive, and transhumance in Yatenga and Seno provinces in the Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso. Using a participatory rapid appraisal and individual interview, beneficial animal products, and services were estimated, and consequently, livestock water productivity (LWP) as the ratio of livestock products and services to the amount of water depleted. Our results showed feed resources are mainly natural pasture and crop residues are common in all the management systems though the proportion of each feed type in the feed basket and seasonal preferences varied. Consequently, water depleted for feed production was similar across the systems in both provinces and ranged from 2,500 to 3,200 m−3 ha−1 yr−1. Values for milk (40 US$US$/household) and flock offtake (313 US$/household) derived from the transhumant system were higher (P < 0.05) than those from other systems in the Seno province. With higher returns from the beneficial outputs, LWP was higher (0.11 US$ m−3) in the transhumant system than other systems in Yatenga, but similar with sedentary-intensive in Seno Province Multiple regression analysis results showed that LWP had a significant positive relationship with flock offtake in Yatenga but milk and flock offtake in Seno. The study concluded that sedentary-intensive and transhumant system with more market-oriented beneficial outputs and much dependence on less-water-depleted feed resources will improve livestock water productivity in dry areas. Besides, interventions to improve livestock water productivity through beneficial outputs must recognize the unique socio-cultural context of the livestock farmers.

The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) is a standardized farm household survey approach which collects information on 758 variables covering household demographics, farm area, crops grown and their production, livestock holdings and their production, agricultural product use and variables underlying standard socio-economic and food security indicators such as the Probability of Poverty Index, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and household dietary diversity. These variables are used to quantify more than 40 different indicators on farm and household characteristics, welfare, productivity, and economic performance. Between 2015 and the beginning of 2018, the survey instrument was applied in 21 countries in Central America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The data presented here include the raw survey response data, the indicator calculation code, and the resulting indicator values. These data can be used to quantify on- and off-farm pathways to food security, diverse diets, and changes in poverty for rural smallholder farm households., Measurement(s)Demographics • cultivated environment • Household Environment • economic performanceTechnology Type(s)SurveyFactor Type(s)country • yearSample Characteristic - OrganismHomo sapiensSample Characteristic - EnvironmentfarmSample Characteristic - LocationCentral America • Sub-Saharan Africa • Asia Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.11637786

Background The number of undernourished people and the risk of micro-nutrient deficiency remain high in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Decades of policy designed to reverse the trends of food insecurity have illustrated that the causal pathways of intervention to end-point outcomes, such as nutrition, are not necessarily straightforward. Utilising proxies for dimensions of food security, this study investigates the relative importance of different pathways to food security in two subtly contrasting communities in the Sahelian and Sudanian Savanna zones of Burkina Faso. Results In Yatenga province, approximately 31% of households were classified as ‘severely food insecure’ in the ‘lean’ period. In contrast, over 84% of households sampled in Seno province were classified as being ‘severely food insecure’ in the ‘lean’ period. There were statistically significant associations between food security indicators and off-farm income, farm income and production diversity. The source of income had significantly different associations with diet diversity in the two provinces. In Yatenga province, higher gross farm income in the absence of off-farm income was predicted to result in more diverse diets; in Seno province, however, gross farm income was only predicted to result in more diverse diets when households are also earning off-farm income. Conclusions Our analysis shows that households were most differentiated by income generating pathways to food security in the ‘lean’ period. This finding should not detract from the essential role played by home-produced foods in improving food security. Rather, market-orientated agriculture and production for home consumption, as shown by households in this study, can be combined as part of a more resilient livelihood strategy. Policy needs to be targeted towards agro-ecological conditions, as well as socioeconomic factors in order to facilitate improved on-farm income, farm resilience and off-farm employment opportunities.

Food insecurity is a major challenge facing the rapidly growing population in the sub-Saharan Africa and it is a common feature in the northern region of Burkina Faso. The focus of this study was to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity in the northern region of Burkina Faso after many years of implementation of water and soil conservation techniques. A survey was carried out in six villages in the Northern Region of Burkina Faso involving 300 households to assess water and soil conservation techniques, and to examine the prevalence of food insecurity. The study was conducted between June and July 2015. Data collected was analyzed using logistic regression to identify factors influencing food insecurity in the study areas. The results also showed a high level of food insecurity affecting a large proportion of the population even during the post-harvest period when food was supposed to be available. Results showed that water and soil conservation techniques and household head education level were important factors in determining household food insecurity status. Despite the application of these techniques, food insecurity is still persistent, which raised questions about the efficiency of current agricultural production systems. In addressing food insecurity in the study area, it is necessary to reinforce the practice of combining stone bunds and inter-row ridges techniques along with proper use of fertilizer and manure. Given the persistent problem of water scarcity in Burkina Faso, and the relationship between water and food security, there is need to increase investment in water management infrastructures. Key words: Mixed crop-livestock systems, water and soil conservation techniques, food security, Burkina Faso, Sahel.

Small reservoirs (SR) are structures that capture and store run-off from upstream catchment area for multiple uses including irrigation, fishing, livestock watering, domestic purpose and groundwater recharge. Though livestock watering is one of the major uses of small reservoirs in the Volta River basin of West Africa, there is limited information on how livestock management practices co-exist with other use of SRs. This study was carried out in a typical Sudano-Sahelian zone within the Volta basin in Burkina Faso, covering five reservoirs to 1) document multiple uses of the reservoirs with a focus on their utilization for livestock production. 2) identify proximate and long-term causes of livestock-related conflicts with regard to multiple uses of the water infrastructure and 3) explore strategies to manage the SR equitably for various uses. Adult males and boys accounted for at least 60% of the users of small reservoirs in our study. Livestock watering was done mainly by adult males. In addition to provision of water for livestock, small reservoirs also contributed to feed resources for animals by providing green forage (pasture grown on residual moisture) in the dry season which accounted for at least 5% of the total dry matter diet of cattle and small ruminant in late dry season. None of the 5 small reservoirs we studied was used for irrigated fodder production. Increased competitions over the use of small reservoirs, damage to irrigated crops by the animals, and increased number of livestock using the small reservoirs were ranked as the most important causes of conflict in the communities. Peaceful co-habitation of the use of the small reservoirs for irrigated vegetable production and livestock watering are essential for reduction of the incidence of conflict.

Evaluation of lifetime productivity of individual animals in response to various interventions allows assessment of long-term investment opportunities for farmers. In order to gain a better understanding of promising feed interventions for improvement of small ruminant production in Southwestern Nigeria, a dynamic modelling approach was used to explore the effect of different feeding strategies on the lifetime productivity of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Modifications were made to the current version of Livestock Simulator developed for cattle production to simulate goat production systems particularly for WAD goats. Effects of changes in input parameters (quality of feed and potential adult weight) confirmed the sensitivity of the modelled weight development and reproductive performance. The values of simulated model outputs corresponded well with observed values for most of the variables, except for the pre-weaning mortality rate in the cut-and-carry system where a wide discrepancy between simulated (2.1%) and observed (23%) data was found. The scenario analysis showed that simulated goats in the free grazing system attained sexual maturity and kidded much later than those in the grazing with supplementation and the cut-and-carry systems. The simulated results suggested that goats require supplementation with protein and energy sources, in order to promote lifetime productivity, early sexual maturity and higher birth weight. In terms of economic returns based on feed cost alone, the moderately intense system produced the most profit. We therefore conclude that grazing with adequate supplementation using farm-generated feed resources offers an opportunity for improving smallholder goat production systems in West Africa.

Les études sur la transhumance ont souvent ciblé les pasteurs – notamment peuls – des zones sahéliennes. Pour en donner une autre perspective, la pré­sente étude a été centrée sur les pratiques de la transhumance dans la zone sou­dano-sahélienne du Mali en intégrant la perception des agriculteurs et des pas­teurs sédentaires concernés par la transhumance dans les zones d’accueil. Les scénarios envisageables pour le futur des systèmes pastoraux ont aussi été ana­lysés. Les données ont été collectées à travers des groupes de discussion et des enquêtes individuelles. Les résultats ont montré que la transhumance n’était plus le seul fait des populations pastorales peules mais concernait diverses ethnies. Plus de 70 % des agriculteurs, des pasteurs sédentaires et des pasteurs transhu­mants interviewés dans les deux sites de l’étude ont rapporté que les avantages de la transhumance pour les communautés d’accueil en termes de dépôt de fumier dans les champs des cultures décroissaient. Quand bien même la majo­rité des répondants ont rapporté une augmentation des pratiques de la trans­humance au cours des trente dernières années, ils prévoyaient leur diminution dans les années à venir. L’augmentation de la compétition autour des ressources pastorales entre les membres des communautés d’accueil et les pasteurs trans­humants dans le sud du Mali crée une situation d’impasse et des frustrations se manifestant par une méfiance mutuelle.

Evaluation of existing and potential feed resources was conducted in Orodora district in the Southern region of Burkina Faso using Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST). The assessment was carried out through focus group discussions and individual interviews in Mahon and Sayaga communities in Orodara district. The study sites were characterized by mixed crop-livestock production systems. Seventy-percent of cropping activities were focused on fruit tree cultivation while food crop production accounted for the rest. Livestock species (predominantly local breeds) in the area included cattle sheep, goat, pig, poultry and donkey which are kept for different purposes. The main source of household income is crop production while livestock production contributed 35 and 45% to the household income in Mahon and Sayaga, respectively. In both study sites, natural grazing contributes highest (49 and 64% respectively) to the dry matter (DM) content of the total diet. Cultivated fodder contributed 1% of dry matter (DM), metabolizable energy and crude protein to the total diet of the existing feed resource in Mahon, while farmers in Sayaga depended more on purchased feed than in Mahon. Constraints to livestock production in the study sites included shortage of water in the dry season, insufficient quantity and quality of feed in the late dry season of the year and high cost of veterinary drugs and services. To mitigate these constraints farmers suggested an integrated approach to improve livestock production through: construction of small reservoir to provide water for human and animal consumption; training on the integration of forage legume into both tree and arable cropping, and efficient utilization of available feed resources; establishment of a veterinary service and drug centre in the village; better management of the existing water resources. Key words: Animal nutrition, livestock productivity, feed resources, feed scarcity.

The role of herbivorous livestock in supporting the sustainability of the farming systems in which they are found is complex and sometimes conflicting. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the integration of livestock into farming systems is important for sustainable agriculture as the recycling of nutrients for crop production through returns of animal manure is a central element of the dominant mixed crop-livestock systems. Sustainable agriculture has been widely advocated as the main practical pathway to address the challenge of meeting the food needs of the rapidly growing population in SSA while safeguarding the needs of future generations. The objective of this paper is to review the state of knowledge of the role of herbivores in sustainable intensification of key farming systems in SSA. The pathways to sustainable agriculture in SSA include intensification of production and livelihood diversification. Sustainable agricultural practices in SSA have focused on intensification practices which aim to increase the output : input ratio through increasing use of inputs, introduction of new inputs or use of existing inputs in a new way. Intensification of livestock production can occur through increased and improved fodder availability, genetic production gains, improved crop residue use and better nutrient recycling of manure. Livestock deliver many ‘goods’ in smallholder farming systems in SSA including improving food and nutrition security, increased recycling of organic matter and nutrients and the associated soil fertility amendments, adding value to crop residues by turning them into nutrient-rich foods, income generation and animal traction. Narratives on livestock ‘bads’ or negative environmental consequences have been largely shaped by the production conditions in the Global North but livestock production in SSA is a different story. In SSA, livestock are an integral component of mixed farming systems and they play key roles in supporting the livelihoods of much of the rural population. None-the-less, the environmental consequences of livestock production on the continent cannot be ignored. To enhance agricultural sustainability in SSA, the challenge is to optimize livestock’s role in the farming systems by maximizing livestock ‘goods’ while minimizing the ‘bads’. This can be through better integration of livestock into the farming systems, efficient nutrient management systems, and provision of necessary policy and institutional support.

Feed shortage in urban and peri-urban areas has triggered the emergence of feed markets in Northern Ghana. These markets were surveyed at three locations (Tamale, Bolgatanga, and Wa markets) to determine types and prices of feedstuffs sold across seasons; early dry (November-January), late dry (February-April), early wet (May-July), and main wet (August-October). Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Three samples of each feed type in the markets were bought from three different sellers per market in each season. The samples were oven dried to constant weight and price/kg DM of each feed determined. The total respondents were 169. Out of this number, 41% were feed sellers, 46% buyers, and 13% retailers. The feedstuffs found were crop residues (groundnut haulm and cowpea haulm), agro-industrial by-products (bran of maize, rice, and sorghum), fresh grasses (Rotteboellia cochinchinensis), and local browses (Ficus sp. and Pterocarpus erinaceous). Prices of feeds differed (P 0.05) among markets and were higher in Bolgatanga than Tamale and Wa markets. Prices of cereal bran were not different (P 0.05) in all seasons but that of crop residues were higher (P 05) in early to late dry season than the wet season. Majority (90%) of respondents opined that the feed market will expand due to increasing number of livestock population in the peri-urban areas.

Sixty-four Azawak male weaned calves were allotted to eight treatments (T) in two trials to study the effect of timing (day or day-and-night) and duration of grazing on diet selection, faecal output, eating time, forage intake and weight changes. Grazing time during the day was 6 h for T 1, 2 and 3; 9 h for T 4, 5 and 6; and 12 h for T 7 and 8. Night grazing time was 0 h for T 1, 4 and 7; 3 h for T 2, 5 and 8; and 6 h for T 3 and 6. The trials were conducted from July 1995 to May 1996 covering the wet (WS), early dry (EDS) and late dry (LDS) seasons. Eight oesophageally fistulated steers were used in a cross-over design to sample the diet selected by day-grazers (D1) and by day-and-night-grazers during the day (D2) and at night (N2). Forage intake was determined from individual data on faecal output from all the calves and means of in vitro organic matter digestibility of extrusa of the fistulated steers. Water intake and eating time were measured in LDS. In WS there were no differences (P> 0·05) in the quality of the diet (extrusa) selected for D1, D2 and N2. In LDS, crude protein content for D1 was lower than for D2 (73 v . 79 (s.e. 2) g/kg dry matter,P< 0·05). In all seasons, faecal output and forage intake increased with total duration of grazing. Total time spent eating increased linearly with increasing total time allowed for grazing. These results suggest that allowing additional grazing time during the night leads to increased forage intake and consequently provides an opportunity for better animal production, especially in the dry season.

Sixty-four Azawak male calves were used to study the effect of nocturnal grazing (NG) and supplementation (S) in the dry season on forage and water intake, faecal output, eating time and weight changes of cattle in the Sahel. Treatments were factorial combinations of four levels of NG (0, 2, 4 and 6 h/day) and two levels of S (0 and 608 g dry matter (DM) per animal per day). All animals were allowed to graze 10 h during the day and were weighed every 2 weeks during the 70-day experimental period. Eight oesophageally fistulated steers were used in a cross-over design to sample the diet (forage) selected during the day and at night by supplemented and non-supplemented animals. Extrusa crude protein and in vitro organic matter digestibility were not influenced by supplementation (P > 0·05). Time spent eating during the day or at night were not affected by supplementation but total eating time increased by 39·4 (s.e. 2·1) min/h of NG. Forage intake increased with increase in NG, while total food intake (forage + supplement) increased with supplementation (82·4 v. 92·1 (s.e. 2·4) g DM per kg M0·75 per day). The supplemented animals also drank more water than the non-supplemented (26·2 v. 24·8 l per animal per day). Average live-weight change (LWC) increased by 24·4 (s.e. 8·7) and 9·3 (s.e. 6·2) g/h of NG in non-supplemented and supplemented animals, respectively. Supplementation improved LWC (–107 v. 99 g/day, s.e. 14, P < 0·05). Night grazing improves dry season performance and its effect decreases when cattle are supplemented.

To document trends in land use and herbaceous production, 71 field sites sampled among cropped fields, fallow fields and rangelands in the Fakara region (Niger) were monitored from 1994 to 2006. The overall trend in land use confirmed the historical increase of the cropped areas since mid 20th century, at an annual rate of 2% from 1994 to 2006. This trend is the result of changes in the relative extent of fields permanently cropped and fields under shifting cultivation, and for the latter, the relative proportion of short (3 years) and long (10 years) duration fallows. Type of land use together with topography and soil type determine the herbaceous production and the resulting yield measured towards the end of the wet season. The variation in site yields between years is of the same order of magnitude as the variation in yields between sites within a year. There is an overall decreasing trend in site yields by 5% annually from 1994 to 2006 that is not explained by variations in rainfall. The decreasing trend is observed on fields under shifting cultivation, fallowed fields and rangelands, although not all sites are equally affected. Causes are likely to be multiple which might include changes in land use, decline of soil fertility and increased grazing pressure. Indeed, the remaining rangelands on marginal land and the fallows still accessible to livestock are subject to such a heavy grazing during the rainy season that the herbaceous standing mass measured at the end of the season reflects poorly the actual production. After the two first years of cropping, the herbaceous yield in fields under shifting cultivation with no fertilisation is negatively affected by the number of successive years of cropping. Moreover, clearing fallow after a decreasing number of years affects the mean herbaceous yield of fallowed fields by reducing the contribution of more productive old fallows. Changes in land use, grazing pressure and soil fertility also triggered changes in species composition with a strong reduction in diversity from rangelands to fallows, and again from fallows to cropland weeds. No correlations was found however between productivity and species composition. Cumulative rainfall does not explain between site or between year deviations in herbaceous yield even when sites are sorted by land use type or by soil type in the case of fallow and rangelands. Simulated production calculated with the STEP model does not explain herbaceous yields much better even when sites are grouped by land use and soil type. However, relative changes of herbaceous yields are reasonably predicted on sites that remained fallowed and were not heavily grazed for at least four consecutive years.