Conducting national feed assessments

The aim of this manual is to provide guidance and tools to countries in developing National Feed Assessments (NFAs), based on what has already been learned from current approaches across a wide range of feed situations. This manual is composed of three sections. Section I provides a broad perspective of the current state of knowledge on the livestock feed situation. Global and country level feed situations are reviewed to highlight the needs for quantitative assessments of livestock feeds in both developed and developing countries. Section II contains broad guidelines for the development of NFAs are provided, followed by detailed case studies and descriptions of methodologies that have been implemented in a variety of countries world-wide. Section III contains detailed descriptions of case studies. The case studies include examples of spatially intensive and spatially extensive production systems, and examples from highly developed as well as developing countries. Based on inputs from a group of experts who met in Rome in November 2010, a set of recommended stepwise procedures is given for implementing NFAs, including procedures for their planning, establishing and updating.

FAO – Coughenour MB & Makkar HPS

2012

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome, Italy.