Research in forage agronomy by the mixed farming project, 1983-1986

The forage program has concentrated on a number of areas, including: improved legume and grass introductions; seed multiplication; experimental trials on clipping effects, legume-cereal intercropping, and the use of crop residues as feed; grazing and village-level feeding trials of improved legumes; a herding study; and establishment of a small forage analysis laboratory. Progress in each of these areas is described. The report emphasizes that, in The Gambia, scarce feed resources during the dry season are probably the singlemost limiting factor on ruminant livestock production, and in conclusion identifies some promising legume varieties and remaining research needs, adding that, to improve forage and livestock production, the project must also convince livestock owners - the farmers - of the benefits of crop-livestock integration.