Fruit and Vegetable Wastes as Alternative Animal Feed for Small‐Scale Horticultural Farmers: Case of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In many sub‐Saharan African countries, the demand, supply and quality of farm animal feed are not proportional. As a result, searching for low‐cost, cheaply available feed biomass has been considered an alternative measure and solution. The purpose of the study was to assess feed resources, the potential of fruit and vegetable by‐products as alternative feeds and practical utilization of livestock in three selected districts of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected through household interviews, focus group discussions and available biomass estimation carried out on fruit and vegetable‐based farms using weighing balances. The results indicated that livestock holding status, land size and cultivated crops varied (p < 0.05) across three agro‐ecological zones. From a hectare of land with varying yields of dry matter (DM), 24.14 MT of banana by‐products, 1.76 MT of mango by‐products and 0.72 MT of avocado by‐products were obtained. A hectare of vegetable and tuber croplands produced 22.7 MT of sweet potato by‐products, 1.41 MT of cassava by‐products, 1.12 MT of potato peels and 0.55 MT of cabbage leaf fresh biomass. As a result, diverse agro‐ecologies and seasons can make use of these biomasses as a supplement and replacement for conventional feed sources.