GIFRID- The Best of Israeli Knowhow

by Sheenan Harpaz and Tal Kipnis

For 25 years GIFRID (German - Israel Fund for Research and International Development), a non-profit, non-governmental organization, has been active in adaptive agricultural research, training and development in developing countries, some of them in cooperation with MASHAV. Throughout this period GIFRID, supported financially by the German Agro-Action (Deutsche Welthungerhilfe), has focused its activities on fostering agricultural and rural development in many developing countries by adapting Israel's agricultural experience and sharing its know-how with them, through applied field research, farmer training, dissemination of information and outreach activities. Over time, the regions of operation have varied, emphasis has shifted to new cardinal issues, and appropriate operating modalities evolved. During this period the interaction of the forces involved (climate, soil, social, demographic, economic and governance) has become all the more complex. Now, on the threshold of a new century and a new millennium, the problems that have plagued the less-developed countries, such as lack of basic food security and adequate nutrition, impeded rural development, sub-standard health care, and widespread pollution still remain mostly unsolved.

Shalom reports on two projects out of 10 major projects, 10 mini-projects and training which illustrate some of the nature and scope of GIFRID activities.

Prawns with Rice
The Use of Attractants in Order to Enhance Growth of Fresh Water Prawns Under Field
Conditions in India (Project No. 171)
Dr. Sheenan Harpaz

The fresh water prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), found in most fresh water habitats in India, fetches very high prices on local and export markets. Feeding of cultured prawns raised in rice paddies on artificial food pellets can substantially increase farmer incomes. However, the artificial pellets, which constitute 60% of production costs, disintegrate in the water before being eaten by the slow-moving prawns. Use of chemo-attractants

can improve their search for the pellets and increase the consumption ratio. The attractants also help overcome difficulties in harvesting the prawns raised in rice paddies, since the prawns are liable to be crushed during rice harvesting and also tend to bury themselves in the mud. In addition, application of pesticides to the rice crop is extremely harmful to the prawns.

To identify suitable low-cost chemo-attractants, which assist the prawns in locating the food pellets, increase consumption ratio, and facilitate harvesting, as well as to develop means to eliminate the use of pesticides.

Dr. Sheenan Harpaz (Head of the Department of Aquaculture) from the Agricultural Research Organization, the volcani Center, and Mr. Shekhar Bhadsavle from Green Earth NGO in Maharashtra, India, joined forces in implementing this study.

Research conducted at the Saguna Baug (Green Earth Experimental Farm) and the Karjat Governmental Station (which specializes in evaluating rice strains) identified suitable locally available, natural, cheap chemo-attractants. Tests with these chemo-attractants and with light and pheromone insect traps were carried out in a number of large ponds. The chemo-attractants improved prawn growth and were also found to be effective for harvesting of the prawns with the aid of baited traps. Introduction of the baited insect traps made it possible to discontinue the pesticide application without any effect on the rice yield; nor was the rice yield affected by the prawns. In addition, it was found that by stocking the paddies with nursed prawns and using rice varieties that tiller rapidly and provide a thick vegetative cover, predation could be substantially reduced. The prawn hatchery set up, based on the Israeli model, should be able to provide the local farmers with the necessary prawn "seed" for stocking their ponds. The experiments were carried out which showed that the nursed prawns can reach market size (over 40 grams) within the rice-growing season with a 60% rate of survival. Hundreds of farmers and extension officers participated in seminars conducted at the Experimental Farm, with the result that farmers offered their farms for additional experimental work. Assistance rendered to a number of farms showed that, with guidance, the production method can succeed. The final stage of the work is now being carried out, consisting of training courses for farmers, after which the farmers are assisted in setting up the dual-purpose ponds for growing rice and raising prawns. Maharashtra State has awarded the project the Krishi Bhushan gold medal, the State's highest agricultural award.

Small-holder dairy farming in semi-arid regions in Zimbabwe is limited due to the shortage of low-cost, good-quality forage during the several months-long dry season. A technology has therefore been developed in this project of ensiling - in plastic bags - forage crops grown during the rainy season in order to be used as feed in the dry season.

To study the applicability of this technology in small-holder farms so as to encourage development of viable dairy cattle farms.

The number of commercial dairy farmers in Zimbabwe has declined over the past two

decades. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), small-holder production systems provide the best basis for increasing sustainable domestic production. With this in mind, the government of Zimbabwe launched the Dairy Development Program (DDP) with the objective of increasing milk production, thereby making more milk available for the local market, which will make a real contribution to rural development.

However, the productivity of milking cows in the semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe is poor and livelihood from dairy farming is not feasible unless this can be improved. Until now the major constraint has been the poor availability of reasonable quality feed during the dry season that lasts up to seven months of the year. This results in poor milk yields and low fertility.

Rain-fed forages are being grown for feed in the wet season. Traditionally, there is no conservation of forage from rain-fed summer crops. Hay making is difficult, but ensilage of forage, if done correctly, can maintain productivity throughout the dry season. However, modern ensiling technology is very expensive and is not feasible for the small holders.

Scientists from the Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center at Bet Dagan, Dr. Tal Kipnis (project leader, forage crop physiologist), Dr. Gilad Ashbell, Dr. Zwi Weinberg, Mrs. Yaira Hen and Mr. Avi Azrieli, proposed the use of a simple, cheap and reliable technology for making good quality silage in plastic bags. To test this, a research project supported by the German-Israel Foundation for International Development (GIFRID) was initiated in collaboration with Dr. Marion Titterton and Mrs. Barbara Massdorp, from the University of Zimbabwe, and Mr. Owen Mhere, from Matopos Research Station, which is situated in a semi-arid area. The results from this project have shown that it is possible to produce high-quality silage using low-cost technology by growing and conserving a tropical grass (sorghum or elephant grass) intercropped with a tropical legume, cowpea or dolichos bean, all of which are locally adapted crops.

The technology involves hand harvesting of the crop, chopping by hand or diesel motor driven chaffer and manually compressing the material in plastic bags in quantities easily portable by any member of the family. Furthermore, the results showed that the silages made with this technology are very good on visual and sensory evaluation, they have a low pH, low yeast and mold counts and acceptable dry matter losses. These results were obtained in spite of the fact that the within-bag atmosphere was not fully anaerobic as is commonly accepted as a prerequisite for high-quality silage production. It is suggested that the volatile fatty acids which are a product of the fermentation process during ensilage are trapped inside the bags and induce an unfavorable environment for the development of deleterious micro-organisms.

Forty farmers in the Gulathi communal area close to Matopos Reseach Station have now made silage for two years. Despite a severe drought in the first year, they expanded their acreage under these forage crops to an average of 0.3 ha and this year, thanks to good rains, have produced on average 150 bags of silage (ranging from 90 to 360) each containing 16 kg silage. One bag is sufficient to feed two cows for a day.

Feeding trials have shown that indigenous and crossbred cows (Jersey x Tuli or Jersey x Nkuni), when grazing is supplemented with 8 kg silage a day achieve good body condition at calving, unlike unsupplemented cows on grazing alone. One hundred and fifty bags are adequate for feeding two milking cows (the average number owned by small-holder dairy farmers) for three months of the dry period, prior to calving and for two months of lactation. Since most cows calve in October, a month before the rains, this will help to ensure good body condition at calving as well as maximum potential milk production post-partum without severe loss of body condition. This in turn should ensure a reasonably early return to reproductive activity.

Forage crops and their ensilage has provoked intense and widespread interest from local farmers and field extension workers. Over the past two seasons, over 500 farmers, NGO and government field workers and scientists have come to see the crop, its harvesting and the ensiling technology in practice. Many farmers from surrounding communities are now visiting the Gulathi farmers on their own just to see how the ensiling is done, and there are reports of many communities planning to start their own dairy projects as a result.

The Gulathi dairy farmers' cooperative is now a member of the Dairy Development Program, which facilitates the delivery and marketing of their milk. It is one of the first cooperatives accepted as a member of the DPP from the semi-arid area of Zimbabwe.

The successful project has drawn the attention of international organizations to the importance of providing help for the dissemination of the forage conservation system. As a result, 40 forage demonstration units have been proposed for Zimbabwe. Forage production and conservation was listed as one of four priority areas for attention by the Zimbabwe Animal Grassland Society. Together with funds that are being provided by the FAO, a regional "hands-on" workshop on forage harvesting and ensiling in bags is being planned for extension workers from SADC countries. The publishing of a manual for use by extension worker is also planned.

Dr. J. de Castro, Animal Production and Health Officer of the FAO, Sub Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa, writes in his evaluation of the project:

"I consider the development to be very valuable for small holder dairy production in the semi-arid areas of southern Africa, as the long dry season presents dairy farmers with the major constraint against sustainable milk production and now it has been shown that this can be overcome."