Offered Papers Theme C: Delivering the Benefits from Grassland
Description
Multipurpose forage crops can play an important role in improving the environmental and socio- economic sustainability of smallholder production systems in fragile environments. However, since the forage technology development framework has not been sufficiently applicable for poor farmers, adoption of especially legumes has been generally low (Peters et al., 2001). In a participatory research effort with smallholder farmers in Honduras focused at forage based technologies, food security turned out to be the main selection criterion whereas animal feed was secondary. Since animal feed related activities (farmer-led forage seed systems, production of dry season feed) have been identified as promising income generating options for poor farmers in the hillsides of Central-America, a further analysis was carried out to identify the (mainly household related) factors inducing or inhibiting farmers to opt for production of animal feed.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Potential and Constraints for Animal Feed as an Objective of Poor Farmers in Participatory Research with Multipurpose Forage Crops in Central-America
Multipurpose forage crops can play an important role in improving the environmental and socio- economic sustainability of smallholder production systems in fragile environments. However, since the forage technology development framework has not been sufficiently applicable for poor farmers, adoption of especially legumes has been generally low (Peters et al., 2001). In a participatory research effort with smallholder farmers in Honduras focused at forage based technologies, food security turned out to be the main selection criterion whereas animal feed was secondary. Since animal feed related activities (farmer-led forage seed systems, production of dry season feed) have been identified as promising income generating options for poor farmers in the hillsides of Central-America, a further analysis was carried out to identify the (mainly household related) factors inducing or inhibiting farmers to opt for production of animal feed.
