Best practices in pasture management: Pasture Improvement

Revitalize Your Pastures, Sustain Your Livestock

This technology aims to maintain the best species and support their productivity in managed tracts of land known as pastures. These areas receive intensive inputs like fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation, distinguishing them from less intensively managed rangelands. Various approaches are employed, including controlling weedy patches, partially disturbing the land, and sowing improved grasses and legumes. Additional methods encompass under sowing croplands with grazing plant species, establishing shrub hedgerows along pasture margins, and planting grasses with high productive capacity.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 8/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive medium

The poor: Positive high

Under 18: Positive low

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Much less carbon released

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Water use: Much less water used

Problem

Overgrazing and degradation of pastures, leading to loss of nutritious plants and decreased productivity.
Limited availability and high cost of purchased feed for small ruminant producers, making pasture management crucial for enhancing production.
Weeds invading pastures over time, reducing productivity and requiring management practices such as re-seeding and selective herbicide application.
Need for appropriate pasture species selection based on climate and soil conditions to ensure successful establishment and productivity.
Various challenges in pasture establishment and management, including soil preparation, irrigation, fertilization, and weed control.
Importance of providing adequate access to salt licks and water for grazing animals to ensure their health and well-being.
Use of technology such as Brachiaria spp. grass to increase milk production and weight gain in livestock, offering drought tolerance and high biomass.
Consideration of different approaches to pasture establishment, such as broadcasting, sowing improved seed into existing pasture, and vegetative propagation.

Solution

Offers practical and cost-effective pasture establishment methods.
Enables producers to grow grasses and forbs, reducing the dependency on expensive purchased feed.
Equips producers with valuable skills and knowledge for effective pasture establishment and management.
Advises on suitable species, sowing methods, and management practices for optimal results.
Recommends specific pasture species based on the climate and agroecological zones of the region.
Tailors the establishment process to suit the environmental conditions of Africa South of Sahara.
Provides strategies such as selective herbicide application to effectively manage weed infestations and maintain productivity.
Offers cost-effective strategies and considerations for establishing pastures with improved perennial grasses.
Provides insights on budget allocation to make pasture establishment more accessible.
Disseminates knowledge about pasture improvement practices
Facilitates accessibility to best practices in pasture management, benefiting a wider community of producers.

Key points to design your project

The Pasture Improvement technology combats poverty among livestock producers by boosting productivity and reducing reliance on expensive feed. Enhanced pasture management ensures the availability of nutritious forage, thus supporting food security and alleviating hunger. Equipping producers with necessary skills not only fosters economic growth but also creates employment opportunities. Moreover, sustainable management practices promote climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem health.

To integrate this technology into your project and outline the necessary steps and prerequisites, follow these guidelines:

Assess the specific needs of your project concerning pasture and forage crop management.
Conduct comprehensive training sessions for farmers and project managers on improved pasture management practices and effective utilization of the technology.
Select appropriate pasture species and management techniques based on climatic conditions and livestock requirements.
Ensure access to high-quality seeds and essential inputs for establishing and maintaining improved pastures.
Implement improved pasture management practices in the field, adhering to specific recommendations for each phase of the process.

Considering that the cost of establishing new pastures with improved perennial grasses ranges from USD 400 to 600 per hectare, distributed across land preparation (10%), weed control (13%), fertilizer (27%), and seed (50%) over several years, estimate the budget for your project accordingly.

Ensure adequate training and post-training support by engaging a team of trainers. Develop communication materials like flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to promote the technology effectively.

Collaboration with private seed companies, cooperatives, seed growers, and farmers is essential for the successful implementation of the technology.

Cost: $$$ 400—600 USD

Pasture establishment with improved perennial grasses/ha

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid		–		–
Subhumid	–		–
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 15: life on land

Assessment and Planning: Evaluate the specific pasture conditions, considering factors like soil type, climate, and existing vegetation.
Input Application: Apply necessary inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation, with consideration of the identified needs of the pasture.
Implementation of Improvement Techniques: Carry out techniques like controlling weedy patches, partial land disturbance, and sowing improved grasses and legumes. Additional methods may include under sowing croplands, establishing shrub hedgerows, and planting high-productivity grasses.
Monitoring and Management: Regularly monitor the progress of pasture improvement, assessing factors like plant growth, weed control, and overall productivity.
Implement management practices such as re-seeding, weeding, slashing, and controlled grazing to maintain optimal conditions.
Balanced Feeding and Grazing Management: Ensure that livestock have access to balanced nutrition from improved pastures, while avoiding overgrazing to prevent degradation.
Adaptation and Continuous Improvement: Adjust strategies based on feedback and changing environmental conditions, optimizing pasture productivity over time.