Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 4(6), pp. 285-296. November, 2016.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2016.036

Full Length Research

Improved forage crops production strategies in Ethiopia: A review

Alemayehu Mengistu¹, Gezahagn Kebede², Getnet Assefa³ and Fekede Feyissa²

¹Forage and Rangeland Scientist, Urael Branch, P.O. Box 62291, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

²Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 31, Holetta, Ethiopia

³Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), P. O. Box. 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

*Corresponding author: gezk2007@yahoo.co.uk

Accepted 31 October 2016

There are various strategies to integrate forage crops into crop-livestock farming system in Ethiopia. The method of integration used for a specific farming system mainly depends on the type of forage crops, food crops, soil type, rainfall pattern and other social and economic factors. Cropping systems are expanding and intensifying to feed growing human populations and overcome decreasing productivity due to soil degradation and poor husbandry. By adopting strategies, which integrate livestock and cropping systems, there is considerable potential to not only increase crop yields but also increase the quantity and quality of forage for ruminant livestock. The use of forage legumes frequently increases soil nitrogen available for food crops because of their ability to fix nitrogen. Moreover, multipurpose browse trees and shrubs increases fuel wood resources available to farming households, decreasing the need to use dung as fuel and increasing the availability of dung for use as fertilizer. Generally, improved forage legumes and browse species provide a sustainable source of protein which enhances the ruminant livestock productivity. The positive impacts of increased sustainable cropping include more crop by-products, more forage and browse legumes where forage production strategies are integrated with sustainable cropping, and a better mix of nutrients from these sources of forage. In general, different research studies demonstrate that integration of forage and food crops with different strategies increases the productivity and sustainability of farming systems and improves the quantity and quality of livestock feed available from such systems. Therefore, benefits from integrated forage and crop production systems are substantial, prolonged and complementary.

Keywords: agro-ecologies, forage crops, forage integration strategies, crop-livestock production

 

How to cite this article: Mengistu A, Kebede G, Assefa G, Feyissa F (2016). Improved forage crops production strategies in Ethiopia: A review. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 4(6): 285-296

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