Marketing of forage in the urban zone of bobo-dioulasso (burkina faso): Market activities and economic returns

In Burkina Faso, domestic ruminant feeding relies on natural pastures and crop residues. Pastures are remarkably less accessible for animals in suburban zones of large cities. The question is now how to feed domestic ruminants in large cities. In order to meet the feeding needs of livestock in urban and suburban areas, forage markets are growing in large cities. We conducted a study from December 2007 to March 2008 the general objective of which was to analyze the forage market in the urban zone of Bobo-Dioulasso. Twenty-one forage markets including 15 permanent ones and 6 seasonal markets were found in the city. Among these markets 68 sellers were interviewed. Thirty forage species were sold. The most popular ones included Andropogon gayanus, Echinochloa stagnina, Pennisetum pedicellatum, Rottboellia exaltata for natural herbaceous forage, Vigna unguiculata and Arachis hypogea for crop residues and lastly Pterocarpus erinaceus for ligneous forage. The maximum of forage was marketed during the dry season, with a peak in December. The annual average gross margin of harvester-sellers of natural forage and fresh crop residues during the dry season was 667,000 FCFA. This figure was 1,269,000 F CFA for groundnut and cowpea residues. The study revealed that forage marketing is a profitable activity but that there is a need for all stakeholders to be more organized.