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Women in T shirts and batik skirts sit in a circle beneath its branches, and a large rectangle of paper is pinned to the tree\u2019s massive trunk, busy with ideas scrawled in marker pen.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis isn\u2019t a casual chat. It\u2019s a careful, structured conversation designed to reveal the most pressing barriers the farmers face when it comes to feeding their animals\u2014and it\u2019s guided by an ILRI-designed tool called the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ilri.org\/feed-assessment-tool-feast\u0022\u003EFeed Assessment Tool\u003C\/a\u003E, or FEAST.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s probably our most utilised tool and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s13593-023-00886-9\u0022\u003Eour coolest story\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d says Chris Jones, who leads ILRI\u2019s Feed and Forage Development program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat livestock eat\u2014and how much\u2014is the single most important factor determining their productivity, says Jones. On smallholder farms, feed and feeding can make up 60 percent or more of a farmer\u2019s production costs, and it\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308521X16304206?via%3Dihub\u0022\u003Eestimated\u003C\/a\u003E that feeding cows better could double milk production in many low-income countries. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n                   \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--contacts paragraph--view-mode--default\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n      \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Chris%20Jones.jpg.webp?itok=iKe-B2Hj\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Chris Jones image\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Chris Jones\n\n      \u003Csmall\u003E  Program lead, Feeds and Forages\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n      \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Alan%20Duncan.jpg.webp?itok=wGD2D4yQ\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Alan Duncan image\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Alan Duncan \n\n      \u003Csmall\u003E  Principal livestock scientist\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n      \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Ben%20Lukuyu%20ILRI.jpg.webp?itok=DxrQxKkt\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Ben Lukuyu photo\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Ben Lukuyu\n\n      \u003Csmall\u003E  Senior animal nutrition scientist\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n\u003Csection class=\u0022container single-column-sidebar paragraph\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022row\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022col-md-7 offset-md-1 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-container\u0022\u003E\n        \n  \u003Cp\u003EYet feed and forages can sometimes be overlooked in favour of other interventions, Jones says. \u0022There\u0027s no point in having really good genetics and health interventions and then not adequately feeding the animals. There are huge opportunities for increasing the productivity, the sustainability and the resilience of livestock production in low and middle income countries by looking at feed.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the past, governments and development organisations have often adopted a one-size-fits-all approach to interventions designed to improve animal feed, says livestock nutritionist and ILRI scientist Alan Duncan. But many interweaving factors influence both the problems farmers face and the tools, crops, and improvements they can realistically adopt.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EContext matters, Duncan says, and without understanding that context, \u201cyou end up with what I call futile technologies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEven where the importance of feed has been recognised, the solution is not always obvious. In many rural areas, Duncan frequently sees the ruins of previous technologies donated by well-meaning outsiders\u2014crumbling concrete urea treatment silos, hand-driven chaff-cutters too heavy for women to operate, or forage plots too small to transform locals\u2019 lives or production.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFarmers have dutifully tried it for a year or two while the project\u2019s there, and then when the project\u0027s gone it becomes a bit of a white elephant.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n  \n  \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022video-wrapper\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Ciframe src=\u0022https:\/\/fifty.ilri.org\/media\/oembed?url=https%3A\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch%3Fv%3DHbyCiXiTlbU\u0026amp;max_width=0\u0026amp;max_height=0\u0026amp;hash=nNdGCnRtBBeFH-Y-54ApP1gzN1UcGWXWW5-xg8e-kso\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022113\u0022 class=\u0022media-oembed-content\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 title=\u0022Working out how to improve livestock feeding: The FEAST feed assessment tool\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EFARMERS FIRST\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo overcome this problem and find out what it is that a given community actually needs, in 2009 Duncan and a handful of colleagues designed the first iteration of FEAST. \u201cIt\u0027s a simple tool, but it helps people to talk to each other in a way that brings out the problems and shows you the potential interventions that can work in that area,\u201d says ILRI animal nutritionist Ben Lukuyu.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n                 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-left\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n  \u003Cp\u003EFeed is the biggest constraint and the biggest opportunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-right\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n    \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Chris%20Jones.jpg.webp?itok=iKe-B2Hj\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Chris Jones image\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Chris Jones\n\n        \u003Csmall\u003E  Program lead, Feeds and forages\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n\u003Csection class=\u0022container single-column-sidebar paragraph\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022row\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022col-md-7 offset-md-1 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-container\u0022\u003E\n        \n  \u003Cp\u003EThe tool has two components: the structured conversation with a focus group of 10-20 farmers designed to elucidate the character of the local production system and its challenges and opportunities. Then, facilitators conduct nine individual interviews representing a range of household income levels (local elders or extension agents suggest participants.) What began as a simple Excel template is now a stand-alone application, making it more robust and able to run on a wide range of computers, with a mobile phone app version currently in the works.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the click of a button, the app generates a set of charts that show where animal feed is coming from, seasonal patterns of feed availability, herd composition, farmers\u2019 priorities, and productivity levels. Facilitators can then prepare a report summarising the challenges and presenting some possible solutions. Crucially, researchers then report back to farmers and prioritise interventions together.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFEAST is not a magic bullet, but an essential entry point, says Duncan. \u201cInstead of beginning with the technologies, we start with the farmers,\u201d he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n                 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-left\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n  \u003Cp\u003EFEAST has been a game changer. It helps you ask the right questions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-right\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n    \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Ben%20Lukuyu%20ILRI.jpg.webp?itok=DxrQxKkt\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Ben Lukuyu photo\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Ben Lukuyu\n\n        \u003Csmall\u003E  Senior animal nutrition scientist\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n\u003Csection class=\u0022container single-column-sidebar paragraph\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022row\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022col-md-7 offset-md-1 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-container\u0022\u003E\n        \n  \u003Cp\u003EAnd not just the farmers. Those who work with farmers, like local researchers and extension agents, are a critical part of the process. They receive training in how to operate the tool and run the FEAST process, while also learning more themselves about livestock production in each place.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We\u2019re interested in changing their mindset, and helping them to engage a bit more meaningfully with farmers and to begin to understand the constraints that farmers face. And as a result, the kinds of interventions or solutions that we offer to farmers more closely fit the context,\u0022 says Duncan.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003ECHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECrucially, FEAST can reveal at the outset where certain interventions are likely to fail. In 2010, The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) wanted to fund a multi-million-dollar feed intervention on the Tanzanian island of Pemba. First, though, Lukuyu and his team travelled to the island and carried out the FEAST process with dairy farmers there.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe discussions quickly revealed that feed availability was the least of the farmers\u2019 problems\u2014access to mainland markets was their main constraint, and they already produced more milk than they could easily sell. Improving milk production through feed interventions would therefore have been a waste of time without addressing the market constraint, says Lukuyu. Instead, IFAD moved the project to a milk-deficit zone on the Tanzanian mainland. \u201cEventually it was more much more useful, since it was taken to a place where the locals could benefit from it more.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Rwanda, on the other hand, a FEAST process Lukuyu led in 2019 as part of the Rwanda Dairy Development Project led farmers and facilitators to feed interventions that are still being used today.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n\u003Csection class=\u0022container single-column-sidebar paragraph\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022row\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022col-md-7 offset-md-1 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-container\u0022\u003E\n        \n  \u003Cp\u003EILRI scientists supported the implementation of FEAST in six Rwandan districts. Partly as a result of those conversations, the project facilitators leveraged the broader experience of ILRI researchers in the research program and worked with farmers to build water tanks, animal feed stores, and cowsheds. They provided forage choppers and information manuals on growing different types of feed. They also trained farmers to make dry hay to store feed for lean seasons, how to multiply the seeds of new forage varieties adapted to each specific site, and how to access and make use of crop residues for feed.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EInformal feedback from the technical team indicated that the forage introductions saved labour, especially for women, and that the interventions also improved social cohesion. And in 2022, the Rwandan Government again approached ILRI. \u201cThey said some of the things you started with that project, the farmers are still implementing,\u201d says Lukuyu. They asked ILRI to again implement FEAST, this time in the pig value chain. The first interventions were begun in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EGENDER MATTERS\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn some places, it became apparent that even though women were in charge of feeding livestock, they tended to defer to men in group discussions, says Jones. \u201cYou can get different responses about what the constraints are according to whether you\u0027re asking the men or the women because of their different roles. Separating them out can be very useful for implementing changes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo in 2019, ILRI released G-FEAST, or gendered FEAST, with a modified \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10568\/100243\u0022\u003Efocus group discussion guide\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10568\/100244\u0022\u003Eindividual questionnaire\u003C\/a\u003E designed to ensure women\u2019s perspectives are heard and valued. It\u2019s most useful in locations where facilitators have some expertise in gender-informed research, Lukuyu says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s a delicate thing, and unless you understand all those dynamics, when you come back, nothing has been done, interventions have not been adopted, because you didn\u0027t target the right people.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EA WEALTH OF DATA\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFEAST has now been used in 22 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, and not just by ILRI. Other organisations\u2014including the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.icarda.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas\u003C\/a\u003E (ICARDA) in Ethiopia, non-profit Land O\u2019Lakes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.landolakesventure37.org\/\u0022\u003EVenture37\u003C\/a\u003E in Tanzania, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iita.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture\u003C\/a\u003E (IITA) in the DRC\u2014have also \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ilri.org\/news\/fodder-thought-feast-tool-helps-farmers-optimise-livestock-feed-productivity\u0022\u003Efound the tool invaluable for diagnosing feed constraints and developing site-specific interventions\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFifteen years of data collection has also resulted in an unanticipated rich resource for researchers, Duncan says\u2014an open-source database representing livestock systems across many different parts of the world. One doctoral student, for instance, is using the database to ground-truth satellite data\u2014with the aim of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/1842\/40990\u0022\u003Ediagnosing what livestock are eating from space\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n                 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--image\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/2025-03\/Tirunesh%20feeds%20sheep.jpg.webp?itok=_Sv3mMj1\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022675\u0022 alt=\u0022A livestock farmer in Ethiopia feeds her sheep with a custom-made mix.\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-large\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n    \u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n        A livestock farmer in Ethiopia feeds her sheep with a custom-made mix. While women make up a significant portion of livestock keepers in developing countries, many lack access to quality feed and related services to improve animal productivity.\n\n          \u003Cspan\u003ECredits:   ILRI\/Zerihun Sewunet\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n      \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n\u003Csection class=\u0022container single-column-sidebar paragraph\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022row\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022col-md-7 offset-md-1 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n            \u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-container\u0022\u003E\n        \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/inline\/public\/2025-03\/SAMPLE%20of%20data%20from%20FEAST.png.webp?itok=kQd_X5ZN\u0022 width=\u00221600\u0022 height=\u00221279\u0022 alt=\u0022Sample of data from FEAST\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-inline\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n\n    \u003Cfigcaption\u003E\n        Data from FEAST provides practical insights on feed, including country-specific use of crop residues, processing methods, and more.\n\n          \u003Cspan\u003ECredits:   LD4D\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n      \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMost importantly, though, FEAST is a guided co-design process that builds relationships, trust and capacity and saves time and money. \u201cBy having this bottom-up, participatory approach you improve the chances that the interventions you are bringing in will be adopted by the farmers,\u201d says Lukuyu.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe tool has also changed the way the researchers themselves think about the place of feed in the farming system, adds Duncan. \u201cApplying FEAST reminds us that technical solutions are only part of the answer\u2014we also need to think about how technical solutions fit with the market, with culture, with labour availability, with different gender roles.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E--\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStory written by Kate Evans, science writer\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n      \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n    \u003Caside class=\u0022col-md-3 col-sm-12\u0022\u003E\n                 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-left\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n  \u003Cp\u003EFEAST has helped us to see the bigger picture.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Ci class=\u0022fa-solid fa-quote-right\u0022\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022paragraph--type--author\u0022\u003E\n    \n  \u003Cfigure\u003E\n      \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/picture\/public\/2025-06\/Alan%20Duncan.jpg.webp?itok=wGD2D4yQ\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022 height=\u0022200\u0022 alt=\u0022Alan Duncan image\u0022 class=\u0022image-style-picture\u0022 \/\u003E\n\n\n\n\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\n\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022wrapper\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Ch4\u003E\n  Alan Duncan\n\n        \u003Csmall\u003E  Principal livestock scientist\n\u003C\/small\u003E\n      \u003C\/h4\u003E\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n          \u003C\/aside\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/section\u003E\n\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/article\u003E\n","settings":null}]