Conserving natural pasture should be encouraged in Shebedino district: Study
Full Length Research Paper Assessment of potential of natural pasture and other feed resources in sweet potato production system of Shebedino District, Sidama Zone, SNNPRS, Ethiopia Potential of natural pasture in Shebedino district, Southern Ethiopia was assessed. Based on availability and practice of supplementation of sweet potato vine (SPV) for livestock, 6 representative kebeles were selected from among 3 towns, 4 Degas, 15 sweet-potato-producing (SPP) and 13 sweet-potato-non-producing (SPNP) Kebeles. From each Kebele 30 households (HHs) were randomly selected and interviewed. Grazing land was protected (June-December/2013) and forage samples taken using a 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrate from three strata. District average land holding was 0.43±0.45 ha/HH, SPP having larger land holding than that of town kebeles. In towns with no grazing land, 40% of HHs feed byproducts to livestock. In SPP and SPNP Dega Kebeles, private grazing land provided 37 to 43% of feed. All farmers feed SPV