Fodder Production for Enhanced Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Resilience in the Drylands of Kenya (PREPARED) ($60,000)

Funded via sixth call for proposals under the graduate research grants (GRG) .The objectives of the project are to: i) assess the current fodder production practices and pastoral/agro-pastoral community perceptions on fodder production and marketing in Makueni County of Kenya; ii) assess local knowledge on the indigenous grass species, their spatial distribution and trends over the last 40 years; iii) analyze the fodder value chain to determine actors and market linkages, and determine the profitability, functionality and efficiency of the value chain in the study area; iv) determine factors that influence households’ participation in fodder production in the study area; v) determine strategies that enhance the producers’ prices and efficiency along the fodder value chain in the study area; and vi) identify lessons and opportunities that can be used to build strong community institutions to sustain the fodder value chain in Kenya’s drylands. The project is supporting two MSc students registered at Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi.