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Livestock Production Systems Sustainably Improved

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The Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Project (E-SLIP)

Sustainable Forage and Forage Seed Production and Utilization

This sub-component will be implemented in partnership with the LDAHP Pasture Management and Forage Development subcomponent. Sub-component activities will include

  1. the introduction of a few grasses, but mostly legume species into integrated livestock-crop farming systems;
  2. improvement of communal grazing areas through over-sowing of well adapted leguminous species;
  3. (distribution of “start-up” seed free of charge, with recipients then responsible for expansion within their own areas (iv) establishment of a capacity for contract forage production within smallholder farms in targeted areas;
  4. establishment of a contract seed production capacity and associated buy-back programme, primarily within smallholder farming systems;
  5. the engagement of rural schools, milk collection centres and Livestock Service Centres (LSCs) in forage demonstration and promotion;
  6. the establishment of a “forage network” to foster exchange and dissemination of information; and,
  7. build capacity for forage and forage seed production, processing, storage and utilisation. The Programme will also support the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) and the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) to test/evaluate introduced forage varieties.

The programme will emphasise quick returns from smallholder investment in forage production. To improve the utilization of legume reinforced rangeland, the programme will collaboration with other donors, support the development of community managed stock water points. Other programme inputs will include technical assistance, forage seeds, starter kits for the establishment of forage nurseries at schools and milk collection centres, training materials and course costs, and regional study tours and workshops for DLD and specialized institution staff.

Pro-poor Stocking and Restocking Established

This sub-component will expand the MAL stocking and restocking programme in the LISP supported provinces of Muchinga and Northern, the LDAHP supported Eastern, Southern and Western provinces, and Luapula province, in districts where effective animal disease control programmes are established.

The programme will target an estimated 28,000 poor smallholder households in about 640 villages, particularly targeting women, including women-headed households (50%), and rural youth headed households (20%). Beneficiaries, who will be identified through a community-led selection process and assisted to form registered groups5, will receive livestock “packages” (small ruminants, pigs or poultry) of their choice, which they will pay for through a pass-on mechanism to fellow poor households.

Cattle stocking and restocking will be limited to in-calf cross-bred heifers in milk collection centre catchment areas or indigenous heifers for draft power, for poor farmers (inclusive of women and youth-headed households). Beneficiaries will be required to participate in training in farm and livestock management, construct animal housing, establish a fodder plot, and contribute to an animal health fund prior to receiving livestock.

NGOs will be recruited to (i) strengthen community mobilization and coordination, recruit and manage community facilitators (CFs), selected from identified lead farmers in the community, who will mentor participating households, and (ii) train MAL staff in this field. Beneficiary households will be formed into one registered stocking/restocking group per village, each of between 30-40 persons. One third of the members of each group will receive a livestock “package”, which will be passed-on at least twice during the programme life.

At least one household in each village will receive an improved boar and buck to provide fee-based breeding services to Programme beneficiary livestock. Stocking and restocking groups will be introduced to the principles of livestock stocking and restocking based on the “pass-on” approach, market-oriented livestock production techniques and farm business management.

Livestock production and health monitoring

To understand properly the impact of livestock health and nutrition on production and to devise appropriate interventions (which should be deliverable by public or private animal health and husbandry services as appropriate), a monitoring exercise will be undertaken in 20 villages for 36 months by a research organization, with the School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agriculture Sciences of the University of Zambia proposed as the co-lead organizations.

The results from this will enable informed evidence based decisions to be made on future animal health and nutrition interventions and that they address all classes of livestock, not only cattle. This activity will also monitor the impact of anthelmintic control of internal parasites in goats

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