Egerton University hosted the second stakeholder summer camp on 9th to 13th March, 2015 at its Njoro Campus.
The purpose of the summer camp was to strengthen capacity on management of indigenous livestock which is in line with the overall mission of ILINOVA project. Forty participants drawn from all over Kenya attended. The focus of the summer camp was application of technology and innovation in fodder production and livestock feeding with specific reference to hydroponic fodder production. Eleven presentations were made.
These included “Livestock feed industry in Kenya” aimed at introducing the participants to the livestock feed industry in Kenya. “Hydroponic fodder production” that entailed two modules namely background on hydroponic fodder and nutritional benefits of hydroponic fodder.
“Principles and practice of hydroponic fodder production; establishment and management” that focused on hydroponic site selection, setting up of a simple hydroponic unit, fodder growing techniques and seed selection, supply, treatment and costing. “Challenges in hydroponic fodder production” aimed at familiarizing participants with the challenges that most farmers who have ventured into hydroponic fodder production without professional training face. “Digestive system of ruminants and non-ruminants with regards to fodder utilization”, “Fodder and feeding management”, “integration of aquaponics into hydroponics”, “Finance- back to back lease hire”, “ Proximate analysis of feeds( laboratory procedures)”, “Livestock genetics and its influence on efficient utilization of fodder” and “Entrepreneurship and hydroponic fodder enterprise”. This summer camp helped to create a synergy that could contribute to further adoption of hydroponic fodder production technology.
