Overview
The Feed Database and Ration Optimization project is a data-driven decision support effort that optimizes livestock production in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) using locally available feed to improve farm profitability and reduce methane intensity.
Primary UC Davis Contacts: Dr Ermias Kebreab and Shimels Wassie.
Why
Economic growth in low- and middle-income countries has shifted food consumption patterns to incorporate more livestock products, including meat, dairy products, and eggs. Meeting such demand at current production efficiencies will substantially increase methane production and the area required. Since methane has >80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, improving production efficiencies is critical to reduce methane intensity and protect fragile smallholder production systems.
Where
The project, currently implemented across 16 countries in Asia and Africa, focuses mainly on Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. Technical support comes from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Africa.
Where Else
The project is scalable (i.e., it has elements and lessons that others can build on and adapt). Organizations in Morocco, Bangladesh, and Cambodia have already expressed interest in applying the project model.
What
The project has four main elements.
- National Feed Databases. Partners will be equipped with field-ready tools and protocols to evaluate the nutritional value of local feeds, with data captured in each country's central database.
- Feed Ration Optimization Tool. These decision-support tools provide feed ration formulation options to optimize livestock production based on local breeds, conditions, and feeds.
- An Interactive Platform. The easy-to-use and access digital platform will allow users in the field to access the information needed to simulate alternatives and optimize production based on regionally available feed.
- Outreach. Educational activities will strengthen impact by supporting the adoption of the nutrition decision-support tool and identifying and addressing barriers that preclude feeding practices.
Impact
Through the Project’s Digital platform, the project will
- provide local stakeholders with standardized and precise data on the nutritional value of forages;
- improve the capacity of countries to test the nutritional value of feeds locally;
- Assess production gains and
- Have a methane accounting system that estimates methane emissions based on diets recommended vs. traditional diets.
Support
The Global Methane Hub is funding the first three years.
Partners
This global project involves the following global partners:
USA
- Cornell University,
- Digital Green (San Francisco HQ),
- Michigan State University,
- UC Davis (Project Coordinator)
Pacific
- CSIRO (Australia),
- The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre,
- Massey University
Asia
- Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) (Indonesia)
- Khon Kaen University (Thailand),
- Nong Lam University (Vietnam),
- University of the Philippines, Los Banos (Philippines),
Africa
- Haramaya University and Hawassa University (Ethiopia)
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) (Kenya HQ),
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) (coordinating a series of West African Countries) (Cameroon)