Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa

Production of livestock and dairy products in Sub-Saharan Africa struggles to keep pace with growing demand. The potential exists to close this gap in a climate-friendly way through the introduction of improved forage varieties of the Brachiaria genus. We assess the potential economic impact of the...

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Main Authors: Schiek, Benjamin E., Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo, Mwendia, Solomon W., Prager, Steven D.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: International Center for Tropical Agriculture 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97555
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author Schiek, Benjamin E.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Mwendia, Solomon W.
Prager, Steven D.
author_browse Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Mwendia, Solomon W.
Prager, Steven D.
Schiek, Benjamin E.
author_facet Schiek, Benjamin E.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Mwendia, Solomon W.
Prager, Steven D.
author_sort Schiek, Benjamin E.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Production of livestock and dairy products in Sub-Saharan Africa struggles to keep pace with growing demand. The potential exists to close this gap in a climate-friendly way through the introduction of improved forage varieties of the Brachiaria genus. We assess the potential economic impact of the development and release of such varieties in 6 Eastern African countries using an economic surplus model. Results are presented across a range of potential scenarios involving different adoption rates and percentage increases in production. For all but the lowest levels of adoption and production increases, improved forages have the potential for positive return on investment. Using these results, we present formulae that help readers calculate the adoption rate or percentage increase in production necessary to achieve specific desired levels of net benefit. Overall, the model output suggests that investment in a forages research program related to the qualities of the forage itself as well as programs to enhance dissemination and adoption of new materials would be low risk and have high likelihood for positive outcomes, generating discounted net benefits in the order of multiple tens of millions of dollars over a 30-year time horizon.
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spelling CGSpace975552025-03-13T09:44:06Z Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa Comprender los retornos potenciales de la inversión en Brachiariaspp. para los productores de leche en el Este de África Schiek, Benjamin E. Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo Mwendia, Solomon W. Prager, Steven D. climate change adaptation tropical forages livestock varieties brachiaria impact assessment evaluación del impacto forrajes adaptación al cambio climático ganado Production of livestock and dairy products in Sub-Saharan Africa struggles to keep pace with growing demand. The potential exists to close this gap in a climate-friendly way through the introduction of improved forage varieties of the Brachiaria genus. We assess the potential economic impact of the development and release of such varieties in 6 Eastern African countries using an economic surplus model. Results are presented across a range of potential scenarios involving different adoption rates and percentage increases in production. For all but the lowest levels of adoption and production increases, improved forages have the potential for positive return on investment. Using these results, we present formulae that help readers calculate the adoption rate or percentage increase in production necessary to achieve specific desired levels of net benefit. Overall, the model output suggests that investment in a forages research program related to the qualities of the forage itself as well as programs to enhance dissemination and adoption of new materials would be low risk and have high likelihood for positive outcomes, generating discounted net benefits in the order of multiple tens of millions of dollars over a 30-year time horizon. La producción pecuaria, incluyendo la láctea,en África subsahariana exige un alto esfuerzo para mantenerse al ritmo de la creciente demanda. No obstante existe la posibilidad de cerrar esta brecha de una manera amigable con el clima mediante la introducción de variedades de forrajerasmejoradas del género Brachiaria. En el estudio seevaluóel potencial impacto económico del desarrollo y liberación de estasvariedades en 6 países de África Oriental utilizando un modelo de excedentes económicos. Los resultados se presentan a través de un rango potencial de escenarios que implican diferentes tasas de adopción e incrementos porcentuales de producción. Para todosellos, exceptolos niveles más bajos de adopción y aumento de producción, los forrajes mejorados tienen el potencial de un retorno positivo en la inversión. Usando estos resultados, presentamos fórmulas que ayudan a los investigadoresa calcular la tasa de adopción o aumento porcentual de la producción necesaria para lograr niveles deseados de beneficio neto. En general, el resultado del modelo sugiere que la inversión en un programa de investigación de forrajes y programas básicos de diseminación y adopción de nuevos materiales esde bajo riesgo y con alta probabilidad de obtener resultados positivos, generando beneficios netos en el orden de varias decenas de millones de dólares sobre un horizonte temporal de 30 años. 2018 2018-10-02T13:43:33Z 2018-10-02T13:43:33Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97555 en Open Access International Center for Tropical Agriculture Schiek, Ben, González, Carlos, Mwendia, Solomon, & Prager, Steven D. (2018). Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 6(3), 117–133.
spellingShingle climate change adaptation
tropical forages
livestock
varieties
brachiaria
impact assessment
evaluación del impacto
forrajes
adaptación al cambio climático
ganado
Schiek, Benjamin E.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Mwendia, Solomon W.
Prager, Steven D.
Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title_full Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title_fullStr Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title_full_unstemmed Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title_short Got forages? Understanding potential returns on investment in Brachiaria spp. for dairy producers in Eastern Africa
title_sort got forages understanding potential returns on investment in brachiaria spp for dairy producers in eastern africa
topic climate change adaptation
tropical forages
livestock
varieties
brachiaria
impact assessment
evaluación del impacto
forrajes
adaptación al cambio climático
ganado
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97555
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