Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa

Abstract

The cattle sector is strategic sector for both the economic development and food security of Africa. However, the low availability and quality of forage puts the most vulnerable population in the field at risk. Hybrid forages have proven to be a real alternative for enhancing both the food security and sustainability of the sector. They are the product of genetic improvements and combine the superior traits of different materials. In 1987, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) began this line of research and together with the private sector various ma-terials have been released until today. Despite their beforementioned potential, forage hybrid adoption levels are still low in Africa, which is related to various factors among which the availability of seeds and planting material stands out. This document analyzes the potential markets for new forage hybrids adapted to the environmental conditions of eastern Africa and partially western Africa. Likewise, an estimation of the commercial value of these markets is provided. The results show a potential market of 414,388 ha for new interspecific hybrids of Urochloa and 528,409 ha for potential hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus, with approximate values of 73.5 and 101.1 million dollars, respectively. Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya have a 70% market share for Urochloa, while South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania have a 67% share for Megathyrsus maximus. The results will help different actors in decision-making, i.e., regarding private sector investments in forage seed commercialization or public sector incentives supporting adoption processes, and thus contribute to increasing food security and sustainability in the region.

Developments, bottlenecks, and opportunities in seed markets for improved forages in East Africa: The case of Kenya

“…In terms of improved varieties, Urochloa and M. maximus lead the market and are anticipated to maintain this position in the coming years. This finding is consistent with the studies of Creemers and Alvarez‐Aranguiz (2019), Lukuyu et al (2021), Creemers et al (2021), and Junca Paredes et al (2023), all of which anticipate sustained adoption growth and market potential for these two varieties in the region. In our study, it was also discovered that producers' primary selection criteria for choosing a forage variety to plant include biomass production, resistance to pests and diseases (i.e.…”

“…This sentiment is shared by key stakeholders in our study and echoed in other studies such as Dey et al (2022), Maina et al (2022), and Creemers and Alvarez‐Aranguiz (2019). Our findings are also in line with Burkart (2023), who described the seed market for Urochloa hybrids in East Africa as an emerging market with a large untapped potential for adoption and high potential positive social and economic impacts for the region, and with Junca Paredes et al (2023), who quantified the potential market for new Urochloa and M. maximus hybrids in the region as a potential sown area of more than 900 000 ha.…”

“…Brachiaria ) and Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum ), since they hold a large market potential, that is, in East Africa (Burkart, 2023; Junca Paredes et al, 2023). Information was obtained between October and December 2022.…”

“…The region with the largest cultivated area is sub‐Saharan Africa, accounting for 43% of the total, but the region with the highest economic value of forages is North Africa, representing 37% of the continent's total value. Junca Paredes et al (2023) analyzed potential markets for new forage hybrids adapted to the environmental conditions in several Eastern and Western African countries. According to their results, there exists a potential market of 414 400 ha for new interspecific Urochloa hybrids and of 528 400 ha for new M. maximus hybrids, with an annual economic value of US$73.5 million and US$101.1 million, respectively.…”

Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition

“…This does not mean that limitations to individuals' access to the social, cultural, economic, and psychological aspects should also be overlooked. Access to safe, nutritious, pleasant, sustainable, and healthy food for all individuals should be the focus of food producers, industries, services and policymakers [1][2][3][4]. In this sense, food security and nutrition (FSN) have been in the spotlight of the international development agenda for decades, with development priorities and challenges oscillating over the years.…”