Livestock feed challenges, solutions addressed at Africa Food Systems Forum 2024

RWANDA – The Africa Food Systems Forum 2024, held in Kigali, Rwanda, brought the critical role of livestock and animal feed systems to the forefront, addressing their importance in securing food across the continent. 

From September 2 to 6, 2024, over 5,000 delegates, including experts, researchers, and policymakers, convened to discuss sustainable strategies to improve African food systems

One of the forum’s central focuses was the challenges faced by African livestock farmers, particularly the need to enhance feed and forage systems. 

In these discussions, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) took centre stage, showcasing groundbreaking innovations in climate-smart livestock production. 

Their advancements in feed quality and distribution systems have the potential to significantly boost the productivity of smallholder farmers across Africa.

On Day 0 of the event, the side session by ILRI titled ‘Herding Change for Climate-Smart Innovations’ unveiled four pioneering technologies that aim to make livestock systems more productive and environmentally sustainable. 

Ignitia emerged as a key player in addressing weather-related agricultural challenges. Its digital weather forecasting platform provides farmers with farm-specific weather predictions via SMS. It is now exploring how its data can inform livestock farmers on optimal forage crop choices and pasture locations. 

Partnering with Heifer International’s AYuTe Africa NextGen initiative, Ignitia is helping young agro-entrepreneurs scale their businesses across Africa.

Zipline Rwanda is revolutionising supply chains through drone technology, delivering improved pig genetics to smallholder farmers. 

Zipline’s drones can transport fragile materials like pig semen within 20-30 minutes, improving herd quality and reducing inbreeding risks. 

This innovation has drastically improved access to quality genetics, which is critical for advancing pig farming in rural areas.

OX Delivers is tackling the logistical barriers that smallholder farmers face in accessing animal feed. By employing electric trucks, OX Delivers provides agro-dealers with an efficient, cost-effective means of delivering feed to remote farmers. 

Their digital platform simplifies ordering, allowing farmers to place orders via text messages, aggregating them to reduce costs and increase delivery efficiency. 

OX Delivers shield farmers from fluctuating fuel prices by stabilising feed supply costs through electric vehicles.

Both Zipline Rwanda and OX Delivers have been instrumental in supporting the Feed the Future Rwanda Orora Wihaze Activity, which aims to increase the availability of animal-sourced foods in Rwanda. 

As the Orora Wihaze program concludes in 2024, both companies are seeking investment partners to continue scaling their operations.

Another standout initiative, Africa Asia Dairy Genetic Gains (AADGG), is transforming dairy farming in East Africa by identifying and distributing cattle breeds that are better suited to local conditions. 

By leveraging data from smallholder farmers and conducting genetic evaluations, AADGG matches farmers with high-yield breeds that produce more milk while minimising emissions. 

Dubbed a “dating app” for cows, this innovative platform has helped boost milk production from 6 to 16 litres per cow per day, significantly improving nutrition and incomes for smallholder farmers.

In addition to these innovations, a roundtable discussion organised by the African Development Bank explored the need for stronger public-private partnerships to drive growth in agricultural inputs, particularly fertilisers, which are essential for improving feed and crop production. 

As climate change continues to impact livestock farming in Africa, the forum underscored the urgent need for investment in digital technologies and climate-smart policies, crucial for making feed systems more efficient and ensuring that livestock production can withstand the challenges posed by a changing climate.

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