Forage is critically becoming an important feed for livestockproduction as more communities venture into intensive farming due to increasingpopulation pressure on land. This calls for efficient management of theavailable forage through use of effective agronomic management practices thatreduce incidence of forage diseases and pests. This technology, innovation andmanagement practice aims at combining use of Napier crop management practices tominimize the effect of Napier stunt disease on Napier yield. These practicesinclude regular inspection of Napier plots to enable early detection ofdiseased plants, uprooting and burning of infected plants and tillers to avoidspreading of the disease, weeding and manure application to improve the vigourof the Napier crop, and use of NSD tolerant varieties.

The main target group of this management practice are the smallscale dairy farmers. Focus group discussions with stakeholders were conductedto create awareness about the disease and its management options. Napier stuntand smut disease photographs were also used to help participants identify andrecognize the two diseases that were being referred to.

The TIMP is at the up-scaling stage in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.Napier Stunt Disease (NSD) occurs in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. However, thedisease is not yet in Ethiopia. The disease is spreading fast and isthreatening the livestock industry in the region. Farmers lack knowledge andtools required to manage the disease which is further escalating diseasespread. There is need to sensitize farmers on management of the disease toavoid further spread and minimize its impact on the dairy industry. There isalso a need to establish Napier multiplication sites where farmers can obtainclean planting materials to address shortage of forage in the region.

Although farmers are applying the recommended cultural managementpractices, NSD incidence and severity is still high, implying that thosepractices do not adequately manage the disease. Hence, there is need tocomplement the existing practices with more robust control approaches such ashost plant resistance. Considering the reported shortage of clean plantingmaterials, more collections are needed to enable identification of NSD-tolerantclones that will be multiplied and distributed to farmers to meet the growingdemand for NSD-tolerant materials in the region. As mentioned above, theNSD-tolerant materials will be integrated with cultural practices in order toaddress the NSD problem in the region. 

To address the shortage of animal feed, research should beconducted to identify other nutritive fodder or dairy feeds that can supplementNapier grass.

This TIMP helps to minimize the effects of Napier stunt disease.It does not involve complicated procedures, which makes it easy for end-usersto adopt. It also addresses a felt need of controlling NSD, which is a majorconstraint in smallholder livestock production. The TIMP is particularlyrelevant for women who are directly responsible for feeding householdlivestock. As regards food security, increasing Napier yield is likely to leadto increased feed security which may enable increased dairy production.  This in effect, translates into better nutritionand food security. In view of the above, the practice is considered suitablefor promotion among livestock farmers using the cut and carry system,especially in the densely populated areas.

This TIMP has potential to increase feed availability to thebenefit of the small holder dairy farmers. In same context, the practice may also contribute to direct income toend-users e.g. through sale of Napier grass fodder.

This management approach is gender-neutral and is intended tobenefit all members of the community, including vulnerable and marginalizedgroups. The TIMP particularly addresses the context and situation of womenfarmers, who constitute a majority of small-scale dairy farmers.

Beatrice Pallangyo;

Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives;

P.O. Box 9071;

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Mob: +255-232402729

Email: beatricepallangyo@yahoo.com

Jolly Kabirizi;

National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI);

P.O. Box 96;

Tororo, Uganda.

Tel +256 45448360

Mob: +256-777912716

Email: jmkabirizi@gmail.com

Margaret Mulaa;

Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization- Kitale,

P.O. Box 450-30200;

Kitale- Kenya.

Tel: +254-20-3509161

Mob: +254(0)722382769

Email: margaretmulaa@yahoo.com

Jean Hanson;

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI);

P. O. Box 5689;

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mob: +251-116460294

Email: j.hanson@cgiar.org

Janice Proud;

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI);

P. O. Box 5689;

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Email: j.proud@cgiar.org

Claude Maeda;

International Institute of Agriculture (IITA);

P. O. Box 30031;

Kibaha, Tanzania.

Tel: +255 22 2700092

Fax: +255 22 2775021

Email: c.maeda@cgiar.org

Findings from the report on NSD management practices indicate thatthere are more farmers in Kenya and Uganda who were applying the recommendedNSD management practices than in Tanzania (Fig. 1). This can be attributed tothe fact that NSD has been in Kenya and Uganda for a longer period of time.There is strong evidence that this could have provided a chance for awarenesscreation which enabled farmers to apply the recommended practices (Renard,2010). Presence of farmers applying NSD management practices in newly infectedareas (for example in Tanzania), has demonstrated the importance of research,extension services and farmers’ groups in information dissemination. However,stakeholders need to intensify the awareness creation in order to buildcapacity for NSD management in the whole region.

Pallangyo, B., Kabirizi, J., Mulaa, M., Hanson, J., Proud, J. andMaeda, C. 2012. Napier stunt disease status and management in Eastern andCentral Africa (in press).

Pallangyo, B., Maeda, C. and Mkonyi, S. 2008. Napier grass (Pennisetumpurpurium (Sachum) diversity, uses and diseases in Eastern, Northern and lakezones of Tanzania. Presented at the 1st National Plant Protection AdvisoryCommittee Ad hoc meeting held at Sugarcane Research Institute, Kibaha Tanzaniaon 19 September 2008. 

Renard, G. 2010. Mitigating the impact of Napier grass smut andstunt diseases for the smallholder dairy sector. Final Workshop Report.Workshop held at ILRI Campus, Addis Ababa Ethiopia from June 1-3, 2010. Alsoavailable on-line, http://cgspace.cgiar.org/ bitstream/handle/10568/3094/ASARECAfinalWorkshopReport.pdf?sequence=1