Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST)

Ben Lukuyu and Alan DuncanMilkIT annual planning meeting, Almora, India

Nov 27 – Dec 4 2012

Feed assessment: The problem

Conventionally focuses on:– The feeds– Their nutritive value– Ways of improving nutritive value

FEAST broadens assessment:– Is livestock an important livelihood strategy? – How important are feed problems relative to

other problems?– What about labour, input availability, credit,

seasonality, markets for products etc.?

What FEAST tool can do?

FEAST -Quickly diagnoses key livestock feeding issues using PRA and helps collect very light data

Helps to structure thinking and allows dialogue with stakeholders on what the key feeding issues are and how they fit into the broader context

How does FEAST work?

FEAST resources

FEAST PRA questionnaire

FEAST Excel template

FEAST manual

Tools can be downloaded from: www.ilri.org/feast

PRA General description of farming system

– range of farm sizes,– farm labour availability– annual rainfall pattern– irrigation availability– types of animals raised by households.

General description of livestock production– the types of animals raised (% of households raising

these animals and average herd/flock sizes)– the purpose of raising these animals (e.g. draught,

income, fattening, calf production)– the general animal husbandry (including; management,

veterinary services and reproduction). – Ease of access to credit– How available are necessary inputs – plastic, urea,

concentrates etc Problem identification and potential solutions

Quantitative questionnaire Animals – livestock inventory Crops - yields and areas to derive crop residue availability Cultivated forages – yields and areas Collected fodder: proportion of diet Purchased feed Grazing: proportion of diet Contributors to household income Production.

– Milk production – Sale of livestock

Seasonality. – Feed supply: overall seasonal availability– What is fed in different months?

Sample output

32%

22%

20%

14%

6%

6%

Contribution of livelihood activities to household income (as a percentage)

Agriculture

Livestock

Remmitance

Labour

Others

Business

More sample output

Crop residues5%

Cultivated fodder

25%

Grazing30%

Naturally occurring and

collected33%

Purchased7%

DM content of total diet

Final output

Feast report with some ideas for key problems and solutions

Better links and understanding between farmers, research and development staff

HOW WE HAVE USED THE TOOL IN EADD

Stage 1: The diagnosis stage

Objectives– Conduct a rapid appraisals using the

FEAST tool to identify potential constraints and opportunities

– Identify potential ‘best fit’ technology packages to solve feed problems

– Potential to use the TechFit tool to screen and prioritise possible feed interventions

– Engage the dairy farmer business associations (DFBAs) and sensitize them about the importance of a feed plan

Developing feed plans (interventions) with stakeholders

Catalyze formation of a broad coalition of actors (stakeholder platform) to share and discuss PRA findings with emphasis on solving identified problem. – What are the potential solutions?– What needs to be done to solve the problems (A list of

activities)– What resources are needed for each activity and who

provides– Who does it? Who is in charge (at all levels,

EADD/cluster, hub level) and by when?– How will progress be monitored? – What will be monitored and by whom

An example of a constraint/ opportunity analysis matrix

Implementation of feed plans through dairy hubs (1)

Engage DFBAs to scaling up interventions– How best do we engage DFBAs to own/ internalize

development and use of feed plans?

• Include feed plans in the strategic plans and annual operation plan and budget for DFBAs

• Build the capacity of the dairy hub’s management and extension providers to develop, revise and implement the feed plans

Implementation of feed plans through dairy hubs (2)

Building capacity of ‘best bet’ technologies– Conduct farmer trainings to promote

selected interventions and to stimulate demand amongst farmers. Useful to inbuilt in activity calendars.

– Assemble relevant technical information and back up through making linkages with other actors

Implementation of feed plans through dairy hubs (3)

Identify interventions with business potential and introduce commercial approaches– Where applicable develop business models for selected

interventions– Promote potential local commercial feed producers– Engage business development providers (BDS) to

provide technical assistance to the dairy hub/farmers and feed producers

– Facilitate signing forward feed supply contracts with dairy hubs.

– Facilitate farmer linkages to check-off services for farm inputs.

Summary of the process

Monitoring the uptake of these strategies through DFBAs & Stakeholder platforms

Objectives of training

To have a common understanding and interpretation of the questions

To customize the application of the questions to the local context

To learn about data entry into the Excel template

To learn tips about focus group discussions

Tips about conducting the Focused Group Discussions

Arrange for meetings in advance Before the meeting starts observe the

local/social protocols Conduct introductions Explain the objectives of the Focused group

discussions:– That the PRA will take about 2½ hours– That 6-9 farmers will be selected for individual

interveiw – That the individual exercise will take a further 1

hour Remember to thank the farmers after the

discussions