Feed and small ruminants in a business model that generates revenues and improves livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Niger

Abstract

Though 90% of the rural population in Niger is livestock owners, the impact of this activity on incomes, nutrition and livelihoods is still very low. The main constraint is the availability of feed (cowpea hay, groundnut haulms, cowpea glume and cereal bran), particularly during the dry season. However, the availability and marketing of feed vary across Niger. For example, while feed scarcity is a real constraint a Torodi, there is a better availability and feed market at Maradi located at 900 km away. Through participative interactions from Innovative platforms with actors involved in the two regions, a marketing business model was initiated as market opportunity. Through this small business marketing managed by actors, livestock farmers have access to feed at affordable prices (30% lower than the market price) that generates incomes from the marketing of feed between the two regions. Through this small market About 12.6 tones of feed for a market value of $US 3,600 have been sold in less than 6 months.