Small-scale silage-making technology for the extreme poor on floodplains

Abstract

Despite owning only a couple of cattle, the landless, extreme poor can neither spare land for animal forage production nor can they afford to buy concentrate feed for their animals. In the flood-prone areas of Bangladesh, the most severe feed shortage occurs during July−October, when the low-lying pasturelands are flooded. Production, processing and preservation (silage-making) of high-yielding fodder, like Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), can overcome such feed shortage. Existing silage-making techniques (e.g. pit silo) are not suitable for flood-prone areas. An innovative, low-cost silage-making technology has been developed and tested in 10 flood-prone villages of Sirajganj in 2012. This portable bamboo silo (PBS) has been developed from an earlier low-cost, fixed model of Bangladesh Agricultural University. The PBS responds to the vulnerability of the extreme poor living in flood-prone areas, and their housing condition, livestock-farming capacity and ability to invest. The PBS can preserve 0.5 tonne of Napier silage, which can replace 50% need of roughage feed-rice straw of one or two local-bred cattle during 3−4 rainy months. With such feed replacement, average monthly milk production in the local cow variety increased by 12.36% (p < 0.01). Average net monthly income of the extreme poor families from selling milk also increased by 56.31% (p < 0.001) due to increased milk production and reduced feed cost. The paper also discusses general issues related to innovation for the extreme poor.

Keywords:

• Bangladesh
• Dairy
• Flood
• Poverty
• Silage
• Justice

Acknowledgements

This paper captures an experience of the ‘From Vulnerability to Resilience: Household Preparedness’ project of Practical Action in Bangladesh with support from Z Zurich Foundation, Switzerland. The authors thank the members of 20 families of Sirajganj who took part in this research in 2012. Contributions and assistance from Md. Ashraf Uddin, Ashutosh Mazumder and Md. Arshadul Islam of Practical Action in Bangladesh, and staff of partner NGOs (MMS and SHARP) are very much appreciated. Advise received from Prof. M.A. Akbar of Bangladesh Agricultural University and Dr Nathu Ram Sarkar of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute is sincerely acknowledged.