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Submission: Richard Toebe
Many areas of Nicaragua have seen increased adoption of new farming methods such as: intensive rotational grazing, irrigation of forage crops, installation of hand dug wells, experimentation with silage, and haymaking. Previous Farmer to Farmer program volunteers have played an important role in introducing these agricultural systems. As these changes in management and technology are adopted by the Nicaraguan farmers, improvements in forage quality and pasture production are being realized. However, in the area of Estelí, the concept of intensive rotational grazing is currently not well understood and has not been put into practice successfully.
I spent twelve days in the Estelí area. During this time, I worked with two institutions: the Catholic College of Agriculture and Cattle of Estelí (ECAGE) and the Association of Cattle Producers of Estelí (ASOPRAES). At the College, after a complete tour of their pasturing and other major agricultural and research activities, I provided a recommendation and preliminary plan to adopt intensive rotational grazing on about 45 acres at their cattle farm Los Chilamates. My work with ASOPRAES resulted in consultation visits of eight member farms with five preliminary intensive rotational grazing plans being developed. In addition, three workshops were held.
I would recommend a follow-up visit be made to Estelí to assist the College and the individual farms in the installation of the fencing needed to adopt intensive rotational grazing, to provide in-depth training of pasture management using intensive rotational grazing concepts, and to develop an annual feed management plan based on pasture, forage crop production, stored feed, and locally available concentrates.
My trip focused on the evaluation of the local methods used to provide sufficient feed for the cattle during the dry season. Specifically, methods of pasture management and forage conservation were to be evaluated. Following the assessment of their farming systems, recommendations were provided for intensive rotational grazing and specific methods of forage conservation and preservation. In addition, workshops were held for the local farmers to transfer the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt intensive rotational grazing.
This trip was similar to earlier Farmer to Farmer trips but was directed at a new audience in the Department of Estelí.
Two groups were provided assistance during this trip: ECAGE and ASOPRAES. The primary individuals that I worked with at ECAGE were: Dr. Jaime Landero, Rafael Rodriquez Portillo, and Dr. Franklin Bilches. I also worked with Inocelia Aldana, the secretary of ASOPRAES.
I spent four days at ECAGE. During this time, I toured all parts of the college, but concentrated on their pasture, forage, and germ plasm acreage. I provided specific recommendations to ECAGE for the adoption of intensive rotational grazing, the continuation of a current course in forage management, and the expansion and maintenance of their germ plasm area. The members of the College and I developed a specific plan for adopting intensive rotational grazing on approximately fifty acres for dairy cows at Los Chilamates. The College arranged for two workshops: one that provided specific recommendations on adopting intensive rotational grazing to four professors of the college and another that was given to a combined group of eighteen students and professors.
The remainder of my time was spent with individual farm members of ASOPRAES. During this time, I visited eight farmers representing eleven farms. We also evaluated the forage production systems on these farms. Most farmers deal with the need for forage during the dry season by either using irrigation or stored forage through haymaking or silage bunkers. On my final day, ASOPRAES arranged a workshop for its members to discuss the farming practices and intensive rotational grazing.
The education of the farming community around Estelí, Nicaragua of the benefits of improving their pasture management through intensive rotational grazing was my best accomplishment on this trip. Every farm I visited could greatly extend their grazing season, increase their total pasture production, and improve their feed management planning for the dry season by adopting intensive rotational grazing. I feel that my visit and education efforts successfully introduced the concept of intensive rotational grazing to the farming community around Estelí.
Fortunately, other areas of Nicaragua have already adopted intensive rotational grazing, in part through previous volunteer efforts of the Farmer to Farmer program. Successful farms using intensive rotational grazing in these other areas of Nicaragua, such as Boaco, can serve as models for the farmers of Estelí and other areas as they adopt intensive rotational grazing.
Additional assistance is needed to place the electric fencing needed to adopt intensive rotational grazing. Annual feed budgets, based on individual farms' improved pastures and forage production areas, should be developed to make clear how the adoption of intensive rotational grazing would improve feed situations, cattle health, cattle reproductive rates, and profit margin.
The farmers of ASOPRAES also identified the need for assistance with water issues. Most farmers are looking to irrigation as a way to deal with the dry season. Expertise in dam placement and development and irrigation would be welcome.
My trip filled a specific need as identified by the Farmer to Farmer program. The people that I visited spoke highly of the Farmer to Farmer program and of previous volunteers in the area. Both ECAGE and ASOPRAES were very interested in what I had to say and were very helpful in making my visit a success. Both organizations look forward to working with Farmer to Farmer volunteers in the future.
The trip also benefited me personally. I learned a great deal from the farmers that can be used on my own farm here in Wisconsin. I hope that I can volunteer with the Farmer to Farmer program again in Nicaragua.
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