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SFB 564: D2.1 - Efficiency of smallholder animal husbandry depending on intensity of management and genetic potential of livestock in mountainous regions of Northern Vietnam
Project
Project code: DFG SFB 564: D2.1
Contract period: 01.07.2000
- 30.06.2003
Purpose of research: Applied research
In the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam, high land pressure hampers the expansion of agricultural production. Smallholder farmers seek to improve their livelihood by integrating and extending livestock husbandry. In the more densely populated mountain valleys, land resources per household are extremely scarce and pig production at a relatively intensive level is the principal livestock component. The steep hill side areas are less densely populated and extensive communal grazing systems with indigenous cattle and small ruminants prevail. Low and unsteady short- and long term resource availability in these marginal areas largely limits the possibilities to intensify livestock production systems. This situation calls for options to increase production efficiency through improved resource utilisation. Special emphasis must be placed in this context on appropriate and sustainable livestock breeding and management programmes to avoid resource mining by keeping inappropriate genotypes not adequately integrated in the actual farming systems.
At present, no such livestock breeding and management programmes exist for resource poor smallholder systems, mainly because of the limited knowledge on the 'productive adaptability' (i.e. performance under harsh production conditions) of the locally available livestock. Knowledge on which genotypes to use in breeding programmes is scarce. On-station performance testing and breeding programmes developed there from at high cost are of little value, because of important genotype-environment interactions.
The present study aims at:
identifying livestock genotypes of autochthonous and exotic provenance which make most efficient use of the scarce resources available for livestock production,
developing appropriate and sustainable village breeding programmes based on these genotypes.
In this context, research will focus on (a) holistic analysis of smallholder livestock production systems, considering different livestock species and levels of production intensity, (b) identification of smallholder production and breeding objectives, with special emphasis on risk and non-economic factors, (c) testing on-farm research methods in order to determine the 'productive adaptability' of local livestock populations, (d) assessing resource use efficiency of livestock production through modelling on herd level, (e) integrating participatory acceptance assessment into the methodological approach to predict the adoption potential.
The study area will cover a gradient from the bottom of a mountain valley to the hill tops. The importance and functions of livestock husbandry in the prevailing systems will be determined in a base-line survey among households along this gradient, whereby all livestock species will be considered in order to get information on complementarity and competition. Information on production conditions (e.g. fodder availability and market access) intensity levels (e.g. utilisation of livestock species, genotypes and external inputs) and different production aims (reflected in management strategies, extraction rates and market integration) will be collected. Availability and utilisation of different feed resources will be closely monitored. Selected feed samples will be sent to animal nutrition laboratories at Hohenheim University. Thereby, qualitative and quantitative periods of feed shortages and their implication on production will be identified. Participatory methods will be employed to tap the farmers systems-knowledge and save on external research resources.
In subsequent on-farm trials, the performance of pigs and goats will be determined, whereby pig and goat serve as indicator species for high and low intensity level of smallholder livestock production systems. The juxtaposition of these systems producing at different intensity levels and coping with different resource limitations is used as a principal analytical tool of the study. Methods to conduct on-farm performance testing will be investigated. Appropriate parameters for on-farm performance testing will be selected and used for regular herd monitoring by farmers (short term benefit). In the long-run they will provide basis for village breeding programmes (long term benefit). In order to rank the different husbandry systems according to their efficiency of factor use, livestock performance is aggregated into herd productivity indices using a bio-economic herd model. Hence, efficient systems can be identified and production strategies to increase efficiency of other systems can be derived. At the same time, the socio-cultural compatibility of the proposed improvement options will be determined to assess adoption chances by local farmers.
Close methodological and in-situ co-operation (selection of study sites and farms, data collection and analysis) will be institutionalised with subprojects D3 (Sustainability of mountain farming systems) and C2 (Ecological assessment of barren hills). Information on actual and potential market production and integration will be generated together with subproject E3 (Market potential of high-value agricultural products). Detailed information on livestock resources will be exchanged with subproject C3 (Variability of animal genetic resources). Close co-operation with the Institutes of Animal Nutrition of Hohenheim University will be realised in the evaluation of nutritive value of actual fodder and potential feed components. This preliminary analysis forms the basis for detailed investigations on animal nutrition aspects in separate subprojects, previewed for the second project phase. Experiences on potential and limitations of participatory research methods will be exchanged with subproject A1 (Potentials and constraints of participatory research approaches).
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
Collaborative Project
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics (490h)
