A workshop to promote the use of alternative protein feed sources for improving
self-sufficiency and sustainable intensification of livestock agriculture has
been held in Accra.
Organised by the
SAIRLA Ghana National Learning Alliance (GH-NLA), the dialogue aimed at
influencing policy or programmes on alternative protein feed sources and
encouraging development partners and donors to invest in these feed sources.
The workshop comes on
the background of the ever-increasing demand for meat, which far exceeds supply
in the face of a growing population in the country.
The knowledge-sharing
workshop offered the opportunity for three PhD students under the CABI-Sterling
University-CSIR collaborative research project to present some of their research
findings for further discussions and to stimulate social learning among
stakeholders and participants.
The three looked at
topics: Black Soldier Fly Larvae meal as alternative protein feed source:
Assessment for farmers’ willingness to pay and implications for broiler
production in Ghana, Production of black soldier fly larvae using organic waste
substances and Using house fly larvae as alternate protein source in poultry
feed: Health and safety implications in Ghana.
Professor Emmanuel K.
Adu, the Director of the Animal Research Institute under the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research, underscored the importance of such
innovative researches to the development of the livestock sector.
He said it was time to
make available such important works, such as the one on alternative protein
field sources, to farmers for early adoption and to help in addressing the
challenges on the field.
“It is high time we
rose as scientists to address it or else, we become irrelevant. The Agriculture
Research Institute (ARI) is making itself more relevant to you by addressing
issues that confront our livestock farmers- bringing innovations, making
production more efficient than we have seen,” he said.
Prof Adu said
innovative researches could help reverse the tide of the unbridled importation
of meat products into the country as it could help local producers to boost
production.
“Local producers have
done it in the past and I believe with adequate support they could reverse the
unfortunate trend of heavy reliance on imported meat by becoming competitive,”
he said.
Participants stressed
the need for increased awareness backed with evidence to increase the prospects
for early adoption and investment.
There is also the need
for legislation and regulation as well as policy support for further research
into the alternative sources.
The SAIRLA-GH-NLA is
working together with relevant stakeholders to identify the different policies
and mechanisms that could provide smallholder farmers, including women and
young people, with better access to resources and information relating to
Sustainable
Agricultural
Intensification (SAI) in crops, livestock and fisheries subsectors.
Based on the above,
the SAIRLA GH-NLA has identified three key themes, including Pesticides Use,
Gender and Climate Smart Agricultural Investment and Alternative protein feed
sources for social learning.
GNA