Junca Paredes, J.J.; Florez, J.F.; Enciso Valencia, K.J.; Hernández Mahecha, L.M.; Triana Ángel, N.; Burkart, S. Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa. Foods2023, 12, 1607.
Junca Paredes, J.J.; Florez, J.F.; Enciso Valencia, K.J.; Hernández Mahecha, L.M.; Triana Ángel, N.; Burkart, S. Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa. Foods 2023, 12, 1607.
Junca Paredes, J.J.; Florez, J.F.; Enciso Valencia, K.J.; Hernández Mahecha, L.M.; Triana Ángel, N.; Burkart, S. Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa. Foods2023, 12, 1607.
Junca Paredes, J.J.; Florez, J.F.; Enciso Valencia, K.J.; Hernández Mahecha, L.M.; Triana Ángel, N.; Burkart, S. Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa. Foods 2023, 12, 1607.
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.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
,
,
,
*
