Agro-ecological Intensification in Malawi through action research

with smallholder farmersLivestock Intensification Component

Fanny ChigwaLilongwe University of Agricultural and Natural Resources

fancchigwa@yahoo.com

Presentation outline

• Project components at LUANAR• Progress of Masters students• Livestock component preliminary baseline

results• Project management

Project components at LUANAR

• Crop component• Livestock Component• Food processing component

Food processing

• Enrolled a Masters student• Completed course work• Research work in progress

Livestock component

• Enrolled a Masters student• Completed first semester of first year courses• Conducted FGD and baseline data• Implementing drug boxes in each of the four

sites

Crop Component

• Enrolled a Masters student• Course work completed• Research work and laboratory analysis in

progress

Livestock Population in Malawi

2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 20130

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

GoatssheepCattle

Years

Population

TrendsSites Goat population Goat farmers

trend reason trend reason

Golomoti decreasing diseases decreasing Theft, lack of capital, marriage cultural norms

Kandeu decreasing Theft, diseases increasing Emulating other farmersLithipe Decreasing Predation, diseases, feed

shortageincreasing More benefits

Role of goats as ranked by farmers

1. Income: Fees, fertilizer, food &Clothes2. Manure: own fields and vegetable gardens3. Relish: Meat in funerals and traditional

gatherings

Characterization of goat based production systems in ARC

Site Goat based production systems % Farmers

Golomoti Goats chickens 70%

Goats cattle pigs chickens 15%

goats pigs chickens 15%

Kandeu Goats pigs chickens 57%

Goats chickens 36%

Goats pigs 4%

Goat pigs chickens cattle 3%

Linthipe Goat chicken 56%

Goats only 19%

Goat pig chicken 10%

Goat pig 8%

Goat guinea pig 7%

Nsipe Goat pig chicken 80%

Goat pig cattle and chicken 20%

Feeding systemsSite Dry season Rainy seasonGolomoti Free range Herding, tetheringKandeu Free range Herding, tethering, zero grazingLithipe Free range Herding 54%, 46% tetheringNsipe Free range (100%) Herding (94%), tethering (6%)

Feeding ChallengesSites Trends in feed availability Challenges as ranked by farmers

Golomoti decreasing Erratic rainfall, population increase

Kandeu decreasing High population

Lithipe decreasing Increase in population

Nsipe decreasing Use of pasture land for cultivationOccupation of dambo lands

Breeding challengesSites Trends in goat sizes Challenges as ranked by farmers

Golomoti decreasing Feed shortage, local breed

Kandeu decreasing Shortage of grazing land

Lithipe decreasing Use of inferior buck, diseases, feed shortage

Nsipe decreasing Use of same breed and poor bucksDiseases.Poor nutrition

Sites Diseases as ranked by farmers/ season

Dry season Rainy season

Golomoti Bloating, blindness, sores, heart water, loss of hair

Orf, diarrhea, blindness

Kandeu Bloat, swearing, coughing, blindness. Orf,diarrhea zidzolo, coughing, worms,

Lithipe Diarrhea, worms, swollen throat, orf

Goat losses

• Mortalities• Predations• Still births

Mortalities

Goat breeding challengesSites Trends in goat sizes Challenges as ranked by farmers

Golomoti decreasing Feed shortage, local breed

Kandeu decreasing Shortage of grazing land

Lithipe decreasing Use of inferior buck, diseases, feed shortage

Nsipe decreasing Use of same breed and poor bucksDiseases.Poor nutrition

Sites Trends in goat sizes Challenges as ranked by farmers

Type of Goat housing

Golomoti

Kandeu

Linthipe

Nsipe

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Raised penGround penDwelling house

Project Management

• Activities on track• Delayed fund transfers affecting attainment of

targets on time• Proposal: Funds used at Districts should be

transferred to their offices