Pastoral community perception towards forage technology production and utilization in Yabello Woreda, Borena zone of Southern Ethiopia
Abstract
Belachew Tunsisa*, Gebisa Koroso and Alemnew Muchie
Production and utilization of forage technology in resource-poor country has contributed a lion share in many aspects. It has a substantial role in livestock rearing community to get resources in case communal natural grazing lands shortage. Therefore, the overall objective of this study was to assess pastoral community perception towards forage technology production and utilization in Yabello Woreda, Borena Zone of Southern Ethiopia. Yabello woreda were selected purposively for due to the woredas accessibility for transportation and production potential. Accordingly, 311 households were participated in the household survey. In addition focus group discussion and key informant interview were carried out. Moreover, Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS v.22) was employed for collected data analysis. Furthermore, qualitative data was analyzed by narratively and content analysis. The result of this study revealed that most of the respondent households have awareness on forage technology production and utilization. Accordingly, about 72% of interviewed respondents perceived that there is a positive outlook towards the technology. Pastoralists in Borena Zone have been engaged in livestock-rearing as their primary livelihood for decades of a year. However, they have been faced several challenges associated with forage technology production and utilization. Insufficient access to water and fluctuation of climate change parameters has been devastating factors in the area among the rest. Moreover, technology in the area positively impacted socio-economic and environmental aspects. Enhancement of livestock productivity, nutrition for livestock, conservation of biodiversity and climate change resilience were socio-economic and environmental roles of forage technology production and utilization in the pastoralist area. The study concludes that policies that promote access to improved forage varieties, and build resilient agro-pastoral systems considering dynamic climate conditions should be prevailed to improve pastoralists livelihood.