Improved pasture Resources in the Madiama Commune of Mali, West Africa: Working with women groups at the

village levelOzzie Abaye, Meriem El Hadj and Keith M. Moore

Improved pasture Resources in the Madiama Commune of Mali, West Africa: Working with women groups at the

village levelOzzie Abaye, Meriem El Hadj and Keith M. Moore

Materials and MethodsMaterials and Methods

In all of the African countries women's contribution to the production of food crops is substantial:

Ranging from 30% in the eastern part of Africa to 80% in

west Africa. Produce more than 80% of the food

consumed are often overlookedWomen are almost exclusively responsible for domestic tasks including food processing, cooking, cleaning, child care, water and wood collection Also involved in dairy and the feeding and

care of small ruminants.

Role of women in Africa

The ensiling process

2

The top of the bags were folded, gathered, and wrapped with masking tape. Fermentation process for either 60 or 90

days.

ResultsPercent CP in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not

ensiled

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 60 90

Period

% C

P

Control Honey Water

0

5

10

15

20

25

Fresh Ensiled

% C

P

Control Honey With Grass

A A AB B B

October 2002 August 2003

Percent ADF in Cassia tora fresh vs. ensiled

October 2002 August 2003

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Fresh Ensiled

% A

DF

Control Honey With Grass

B AB BA AB A

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 60 90Period

% A

DF

Control Honey Water

a a a a b ab a ab

Percent IVDMD and TDN in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not ensiled

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 60 90

Period

% IV

DMD

Control Honey Water

a a a a b ab a b ab

A AB B

October 2002 August 2003

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fresh Ensiled

% T

DN

Control Honey With Grass

B AB BA AB A

Air was excluded from samples in the bag by exerting weight on the plastic bags

Almost all the women expressed interest in resolving livestock feed problems Feed for small ruminants during the dry season

Cassia tora was collected at 3 locations

Chopped to a length Of 1 to 3cm

Madiama commune is located in northern Mali, in the Niger Delta region, and is characterized by a semi-arid tropical climate. The lack of pasture and forage resources has been a growing problem in the Sahel region of sub-Sahara Africa.Critical period of feed shortage is during the dry season (November-May). Identified Cassia tora as potential dry season feed resource

Pasture Resources

To evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora.To examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of theensiled material. To provide feed during the dry season.

Objectives

Fresh sample

Fresh sample

The 2002 data are very important as they represent a very dry year with a tremendous shortage of feedCassia even at its late stage of maturity provided us with good nutrition composition and thus could provide a good feed source with relatively high nutrient content during the dry seasonCassia silage has the potential to be a sustainable solution to feed shortages during the Sahelian dry season, where feed resource lacks 8 out of 12 months a yearThe ability of C. tora to persist and out-compete other species in the Sahel suggests that C. tora may also enhance the physical and chemical properties of the soil

Summary

1

5

43

Chemical analyses included Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF),Crude Protein (CP), In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD), and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN)

6

Pasture: October/November , 2003