Research Requirements based on studies in Bangladesh, India and Viet Nam
Document authored by Frands Dolberg (IFAD), 1995.
Published as IFAD Technical Advisory Division Staff Working
Paper No. 19, December 1995.
The
papers presented as part of the Technical Advisory Division's Staff Working
Paper Series on "Technical Issues in Rural Poverty Alleviation"
have been prepared as part of IFAD's ongoing efforts to further strengthen
its approaches to rural poverty alleviation. The papers address some key
leverage points for assisting the rural poor in their transition to more
productive and sustainable livelihoods. It is hoped that the papers will
inject greater clarity into discussion on the factors governing sustainable
agriculture and rural development, and foster creative thinking as well
as action.
Paper No. 19 "Feed Resources for Landless and Small Farmers in Asia: Research Requirements" was written by Dr. M. Frands Dolberg, as part of the activities of the Technical Advisory Division in support of livestock development within the integrated framework of rural agriculture.
The paper addresses the issue of feed resources for smallholders and landless farmers in Asia, using lessons and experiences from IFAD projects and others in Viet Nam, India and Bangladesh. The paper addresses in particular the issue of scarcity or unavailability of research programmes addressing the animal feed situation under subsistence and poor household levels. In spite of a wealth of technical knowledge and research results concerning feed and crop residue manipulation, conservation and processing, this knowledge provides a poor contribution to the production systems of the poorest households. Such research, according to the paper, could be developed for implementation by NGOs, and disseminated through networking and community-based information exchange systems.
Special thanks to Ahmed E. Sidahmed, Technical Advisor (Livestock and Rangeland Management), Technical Advisory Division, for coordinating and supervising this study. In view of the informality of the series and in order to present discussion papers with a minimum of bureaucracy and delay, the manuscript has not been prepared in total conformity with the requirements of formal IFAD publications. The views and interpretations contained in the paper are those of the author and should not be attributed to IFAD.
