1. Improved pasture Resources in the Madiama Commune of Mali, West Africa: Working with women groups at the village level Ozzie Abaye, Meriem El Hadj and Keith M. Moore Summary Role of women in Africa Objectives Pasture Resources • To evaluate the chemical characteristics (crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fiber, etc.) of ensiled vs. fresh C. tora. • To examine the effect of additives (water or honey) and other forages (grasses) on the quality of theensiled material. • To provide feed during the dry season. • Madiama commune is located in northern Mali, in the Niger Delta region, and is characterized by a semi-arid tropical climate. • The lack of pasture and forage resources has been a growing problem in the Sahel region of sub-Sahara Africa. • Critical period of feed shortage is during the dry season (November-May). • Identified Cassia tora as potential dry season feed resource • In all of the African countries women's contribution to the production of food crops is substantial: • Ranging from 30% in the eastern part of Africa to 80% in west Africa. • Produce more than 80% of the food consumed are often overlooked • Women are almost exclusively responsible for domestic tasks including food processing, cooking, cleaning, child care, water and wood collection • Also involved in dairy and the feeding and care of small ruminants. • The 2002 data are very important as they represent a very dry year with a tremendous shortage of feed • Cassia even at its late stage of maturity provided us with good nutrition composition and thus could provide a good feed source with relatively high nutrient content during the dry season • Cassia silage has the potential to be a sustainable solution to feed shortages during the Sahelian dry season, where feed resource lacks 8 out of 12 months a year • The ability of C. tora to persist and out-compete other species in the Sahel suggests that C. tora may also enhance the physical and chemical properties of the soil Pasture: October/November , 2003 ResultsPercent CP in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not ensiled 3 Materials and Methods 4 October 2002 August 2003 The ensiling process Percent ADF in Cassia tora fresh vs. ensiled Air was excluded from samples in the bag by exerting weight on the plastic bags Chopped to a length Of 1 to 3cm October 2002 August 2003 5 2 Fresh sample Fresh sample Percent IVDMD and TDN in Cassia tora ensiled vs. not ensiled August 2003 October 2002 • The top of the bags were folded, gathered, and wrapped with masking tape. • Fermentation process for either 60 or 90 days. Cassia tora was collected at 3 locations 1 6 • Chemical analyses included Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF),Crude Protein (CP), In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD), and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) • Almost all the women expressed interest in resolving livestock feed problems • Feed for small ruminants during the dry season