This document summarizes activities from the Fodder Adoption Project (FAP) in Ethiopia. It describes how FAP established multi-stakeholder platforms at four sites to introduce fodder technologies and strengthen networks. Over time, farmer adoption of fodder planting increased significantly. FAP also conducted analyses of innovation systems, markets, and stakeholders to identify gaps and opportunities. Key lessons were the need to combine technical options with focus on stakeholder collaboration, and to allow discussions to expand beyond the initial topic of fodder adoption.

1. Enhancing livelihoods of poor livestock keepers through increasing use of fodder: Ethiopia Report on Output 1Mechanisms for strengthening and/or establishing multi-stakeholder alliances that enable scaling up and out of fodder technologiesFodder Adoption Project (FAP) (IFAD Technical Assistance Grant 853) Presentation by Alan Duncan, Kebebe Ergano, Aberra Adie and Abate Tedla at the FAP End of Project Workshop, LuangPrabang, Laos, 15-19 November 2010

2. Output 1. Mechanisms for strengthening and/or establishing multi-stakeholder alliances that enable scaling up and out of fodder technologies

3. Activity 1 - Identification of project sites, partners and work plans

4. FAP sites in Ethiopia Atsbi Alamata Mieso Ada’a

5. Site characteristics Variation in agro-ecology, farming system, key livestock commodities and market access

6. Site characteristics influencing success

7. Other site selection lessons Piggy-backing on IPMS sites – useful at start, not so useful at the end – attribution issues Too many? Lack of strong national research partners close to sites Connections with IFAD investment projects not obvious

8. Establishment of stakeholder platforms – the core partnership mechanism of FAP Ethiopia Guiding principles that evolved : Marriage of technology introduction and enhanced networking. Focus on networks but don’t shy away from supplying knowledge as appropriate Careful judgement on how involved to get at site level – less and less as project progressed – devolution of responsibility in final year

9. Forages as an entry point – farmer numbers

10. Forages as an entry point – areas planted (ha)

11. Innovation processes in Ada’a Ethiopia Technical innovation Institutional innovation Land o Lakes Land o Lakes Eden Field Eden Field Seeds Seeds Crop Grow Crop Grow plc plc FAP Farmers NARS NARS FAP FAP NARS NARS Land o Lakes Land o Lakes Eden Field Eden Field Seeds Seeds Ethiopian Ethiopian Meat & Dairy Meat & Dairy Tech Inst. Tech Inst. Ministry Ministry Farmers FAP NARS NARS IPMS IPMS Ethiopian (extension) (extension) Meat & Dairy Ministry Ministry IPMS IPMS Tech Inst. (extension) (extension) FAP Ministry Ministry IPMS IPMS (extension) (extension) Godino Dairy Godino Dairy Ada ’ a Dairy Ada ’ a Dairy Co - op Co - op Co - op Co - op May 2008 Seed sourced 44 farmers plant on own fields X-bred cows sourced Farmers purchase seed 60 farmers plant on own fields Milk transport issues voiced Dec 2009 11 Fodder options identified Dairy co-op formed FAP Farmers Milk transport negotiations ongoing

12. Meeting log Attendance fairly consistent Some actors always there, some on a needs basis

13. Format of “innovation log”

14. Activity 2 - Evaluation of actors, linkages, practices and habits related to fodder innovations

15. A formal diagnosis of innovation capacity at the 4 Ethiopian learning sites was conducted. A draft manuscript has been produced

16. Innovation diagnosis findings Dominant role of govt. line departments Positive: well developed infrastructure and reach Negative: under-resourced, high turnover, technology push culture Lack of effective institutional arrangements for input supply Fodder planting material Cross-bred cows

17. Innovation diagnosis findings Extension service providers lack the skills to provide innovation support services and manage innovation processes. Research organizations do not currently proactively network with development practitioners and market actors.

18. Action post-diagnosis Establishment of stakeholder groups at learning sites to: Enhance multi-actor interactions Build capacity in stakeholder interactions Provide a forum for farmers to express demand and for stakeholders to respond

19. Activity 3 - Development of Geographical Information Systems on pilot sites in relation to fodder interventions

20. As originally conceived there was very little activity in this area Why..? Agro-ecological conditions not ultimately regarded as the main issue in relation to forage adoption

21. Activity 4 - Evaluation of livestock market environment influencing fodder demand, access and utilisation

22. Rapid market appraisals on fodder as a commodity were undertaken by Ethiopian regional research partners in Tigray and Oromia Regions this year. Tigray study: nascent but developing fodder market; rapidly rising prices; increased farmer-to-farmer exchange of fodder

23. Indicative fodder prices in study sites Hailesellassie Amare et al, unpublished

24. Seasonal fodder market survey Collecting data on fodder prices and quality on monthly basis at 3 fodder markets in Oromiya Region of Ethiopia (Chancho, DebreZeit, Mieso) Data collection started in July 09 and will continue to the end of the project

25. Seasonal fodder market data

26. Markets: what would be done differently next time? We should have done more work on markets for key livestock commodities

27. Key messages Need to link practical technical options and pro-active focus on stakeholder networks Practical technical options, in our case planted fodder, is the engine that drives stakeholder interest and action – without this stakeholder platforms have limited momentum. Need to avoid purely technology push or purely stakeholder networking – it is the combination that leads to change. Need to allow agenda to move wider than initial entry point: fodder -> marketing, health, breed issues – this is good!