ILSSI outputs
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Item Is reliable water access the solution to undernutrition? A review of the potential of irrigation to solve nutrition and gender gaps in Africa South of the Sahara(Working Paper, 2015-03-20) Domènech, LaiaInterventions aimed at increasing water availability for livelihood and domestic activities have great potential to improve various determinants of undernutrition, such as the quantity and diversity of foods consumed within the household, income generation, and women’s empowerment. However, current evidence on the topic is diluted across many different publications. This paper aims to connect the dots and review the literature available on the linkages between irrigation and food security, improved nutrition, and health. We conclude that the evidence remains insufficient to draw broad conclusions due to the low number of rigorous studies that can be used to assess the linkages. Based on the limited evidence, six factors that should be taken into account in irrigation development to address nutrition and gender gaps with a focus on Africa south of the Sahara are identified: (1) food security and nutrition gains should be stated goals of irrigation programs; (2) training programs and awareness campaigns should accompany irrigation interventions to promote nutrient-dense food production and consumption as well as minimization of health risks; (3) multiple uses of irrigation water should be recognized in order to improve access to water supply and sanitation and livestock and aquatic production; (4) women’s empowerment and women’s participation in irrigation programs should be promoted; (5) homestead food production should be encouraged; and (6) policy synergies between different sectors (agriculture, nutrition, health, water supply and sanitation, education) should be sought.Item Simulated economic and nutritional impacts of irrigated fodder and crossbred cows on farm households in southern Ethiopia(Journal Article, 2023-09) Bizimana, Jean-Claude; Bezabih, Melkamu; Adie, Aberra; Kiker, Gregory A.The livestock sector is one of the main pillars of Ethiopia’s economy. Despite its importance, several constraints related to livestock production such as low productivity, remain a major barrier to the development of the livestock sector in Ethiopia. Improving animal feed resources and breeds can have impacts on both household income and nutrition. Small scale irrigation (SSI) technologies are used to grow and improve yields of fodder with the purpose to feed animals, generate income and improve human nutrition through the consumption of animal products. A farm level economic and nutrition simulation model (FARMSIM) is used to evaluate the potential nutritional and economic impacts of the SSI technologies on households in southern Ethiopia, Lemo district. In the baseline scenario, fodder is grown on limited land with minimal input while in alternative scenarios, more land and input are allocated to fodder during the dry season due to irrigation. Results show that the annual average profit under alternative scenarios is almost twice that of the baseline. However, the distribution results highlight the risk associated with high production costs from SSI technologies investments. The nutrition results show that the quantities of products consumed by families in alternative scenarios meet the minimum daily requirements for calories, proteins, iron, and vitamin A but were insufficient for calcium and fat. A large deficit in vitamin A is observed under the baseline scenario, in addition to calcium and fat. However, forgoing some income to increase the quantity of animal products consumed at home led to nutrition improvement in Lemo district.Item Identification of suitable areas for fodder production in Ethiopia(Journal Article, 2022-06) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Dile, Yihun T.; Bezabih, Melkamu; Adie, Aberra; Srinivasan, R.; Lefore, Nicole; Clarke, NevilleDespite Ethiopia’s significant livestock population, the largest in Africa, productivity is constrained by the seasonality of feed quality and quantity. Developing improved fodder production systems can contribute to poverty reduction goals and thereby enhance social-ecological resilience through building risk buffering assets. Therefore, this study focuses on evaluating the suitability of lands for selected fodder crops in Ethiopia applying GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques and accessing the irrigation potential of the shallow groundwater. Groundwater data collected from the British Geological Survey (BGS) was used to assess the groundwater irrigation potential. The fodder crops selected were Napier (Pennisetum purpureum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), oats (Avena sativa), vetch (Vicia sativa), and desho (Pennisetum pedicellatum). The key factors that significantly affect land suitability for fodder production evaluated include climate (rainfall and evapotranspiration), physical land features (land use, soil, and slope), and market access (livestock population and proximity to roads). The factors were weighted with a pairwise comparison matrix followed by reclassification and overlaying to identify suitable areas for irrigated fodder production. The results indicated that ∼ 31% of the country (∼350,500 km2) is highly suitable for producing desho, followed by vetch (23%), Napier (20%), Alfalfa (13%), and Oats (12%). The basin level analysis indicated that the Abbay river basin has the largest suitable area for Napier and Oats production while the Genale-Dawa River basin has the largest suitable area for alfalfa, vetch, and desho production. The analysis also indicated that the suitable area has access to groundwater that could be accessed with simple water-lifting technologies (≤30 m from the surface). This study provides useful insights for decision-makers, practitioners, and the private sector to prioritize and scale fodder production in Ethiopia.Item Productivity nutritive value and economic potential of irrigatedf odder in two regions of Ghana(Journal Article, 2022-01) Amole, Tunde A.; Panyan, E.; Adekeye, Adetayo Bamikole; Ayantunde, Augustine A.; Duncan, Alan J.; Blümmel, MichaelAn on‐farm study was conducted in the northern and Upper East regions of Ghana to investigate the productivity and nutritive value of irrigated ruzi grass [Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C.M. Evrard) Crins] (syn. Brachiaria ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C.M. Evrard)] and forage sorghum (Sorghum almum) grasses as options against dry season feed scarcity and to understand associated market opportunities. Sixty participating farmers each established 100‐m2 plots which were sown at 15 kg ha–1 drilled in 60‐cm rows in the dry season of 2016 and 2017. Irrigation was by flooding of soil surface every alternate day throughout the period of the trial. At both regions, herbage accumulation and nutritive value of forage species were determined at four harvesting stages: 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after planting (WAP) followed by 4‐wk intervals between harvests. At the end of the trial, fresh biomass was weighed, bundled, and sold in major livestock feed markets to estimate market price. Allowing forages to establish for only 8 wk resulted in two 4‐wk regrowth harvests with dry matter accumulation (DMA) ranging from 4.5 to 8.1 Mg DM ha–1 from both species and in both regions. Generally, herbage nutritive values in terms of crude protein, metabolizable energy (ME) concentration, and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) declined (P < .05) while DMA increased linearly with delay in harvest. While both grasses adapted well in the regions under irrigation, 8 WAP harvests provided the best balance between nutritive value and DMA. Irrigated fodder must be marketed more effectively since currently market prices are not closely related to nutritive value.Item Constraints of small-scale irrigated fodder production and nutrition assessment for livestock feed, a case study in Ethiopia(Journal Article, 2021-08) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Dile, Y.I.; Schmitter, Petra S.; Bezabih, Melkamu; Adie, Aberra; Bizimana, Jean-Claude; Srinivasan, R.; Lefore, Nicole; Clarke, N.Item The role of irrigated fodder production to supplement the diet of fattening sheep by smallholders in southern Ethiopia(Journal Article, 2016-12-01) Bezabih, Melkamu; Duncan, Alan J.; Mekonnen, Kindu; Adie, Aberra; Khan, A.K.; Thorne, Peter J.Feed shortage and poor quality of available feeds are major constraints for livestock production in the highlands of Ethiopia. A trial was conducted to assess if producing irrigated oat-vetch fodder during the dry period could adequately supplement the diet of fattening sheep and generate additional income for smallholders. A total of 14 farmers and 70 sheep (5 per farmer) were involved in the trial. The farmers supplemented their fattening sheep with 200 g of irrigated oat-vetch fodder per day for about 70 days. The mean daily body weight gain of the fattened sheep ranged from 52 to 110 grams. The partial budget analysis revealed that while farmers with good feeding management could earn an additional income in the range of ETB 55 – 161 per sheep, farmers with the lower rate of weight gain could lose up to ETB 58 per sheep unless purchase and sale prices remained constant. Sheep prices do, however, fluctuate, peaking during major holiday periods occurring during the dry season. Therefore, timing of the fattening period is essential to profitability, and supplemental irrigated fodder production offers smallholders opportunities to produce good quality feed and target favourable markets for fattened animals.Item Irrigated fodder opportunities for small scale irrigators(Brochure, 2016) Schmitter, Petra S.Item Feed the future innovation lab for small-scale irrigation, Ethiopia: Proceedings documentation, Addis Ababa, 20 January 2014(Report, 2014-01-20) International Water Management InstituteItem Improving irrigation access to combat food insecurity and undernutrition: A review(Journal Article, 2015-10) Domenech Descarrega, L.Item Assessments of key small-scale irrigation technologies, agricultural water management options and integrated irrigated fodder in Ethiopia(Working Paper, 2014) Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria; Haileslassie, AmareItem Assessment of livestock production and feed resources at Kerekicho, Angacha district, Ethiopia(Report, 2015-02-15) Wondatir, Z.; Adie, Aberra; Duncan, Alan J.Item Assessment of livestock production and feed resources at Robit Bata, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia(Report, 2015-02-15) Wondatir, Z.; Adie, Aberra; Duncan, Alan J.Item Stakeholder recommendations: Small-scale irrigation and irrigated fodder research in Ghana(Report, 2014-04-15) International Water Management InstituteItem Promising small-scale irrigation and fodder interventions in Ghana(Report, 2014-04-15) Dittoh, Saa; Lefore, Nicole; Ayantunde, Augustine A.Item Feed the future innovation lab for small-scale irrigation, Ghana: Workshop proceedings and documentation, Tamale, Ghana, 15 April 2014(Report, 2014-04-15) International Water Management Institute