From seed to feed
Wednesday, 2022/11/02 | 08:20:24
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CGIAR News, October 24 2022
Experts at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) are working with partners to drive self-sufficiency in poultry feed and achieve more sustainable maize systems in Nepal thanks to the Nepal Seed and Fertilizer (NSAF) project.
About 3,000 metric tons (t) of poultry feed is used in Nepal every day, with maize making up about half of feed ingredients. The Feed Association of Nepal estimates that more than 80% of maize for animal feed requirements are met through imports, which costs around $100 million a year. Maize imports are estimated to exceed $130 million in 2022.
Through the NSAF project — a project which facilitates sustainable increases in Nepal’s national crop productivity, income and household-level food and nutrition security across 20 districts — CIMMYT scientists have been supporting public private partnerships to increase commercial maize production and strengthen the “seed to feed” chain in the country.
In the Terai region, huge swaths of land lie fallow in the spring season. Experts estimate that enough maize grain could be produced on this land to substitute about 40% of maize imports to the country. Increasing spring maize production in these fallow lands has been one of the goals of the NSAF team, as well as improving coordination between public and private sectors.
To do this, the team have designed a multi-stakeholder engagement initiative to strengthen the seed to feed chain.
In December 2020, CIMMYT experts began the initiative to scale up the use of new maize hybrid varieties and improved agronomic practices. In the spring of 2022, CIMMYT researchers partnered with public and private organizations in Banke, Bardiya and Kailali to help commercialize hybrid maize production and strengthen maize value chain coordination in the region. Partners included integrated agriculture and livestock development offices in Bardiya, agriculture knowledge centers in Banke and Kailali, local governments, farmer cooperatives, seed companies, agro-dealers and feed mills.
Working with these partners, CIMMYT scientists also advanced efforts to improve the capacity of actors to increase efficiency in supply chains, production and marketing, provide local employment and strengthen the market for domestically produced maize for poultry feed.
As of September 2022, the following milestones have been achieved:
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/from-seed-to-feed
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