Napier grass strips and livestock: a bioeconomic analysis

Abstract

Napier grass strips are gaining some acceptance in Southeast Asia as a vegetative means of soil erosion control, due to the relative ease of establishment and management. In addition, the napier grass strips aid productivity of agroforestry systems by providing mulch or by being fed to livestock. In this paper, a bioeconomic comparison of different ways of utilising the napier grass cuttings is undertaken. The three uses examined for the cuttings were: as mulch in the alley areas, sold as fodder, and fed to animals with manure applied back to the system. The analysis linked the soils-oriented SCUAF model with economic and animal component models. SCUAF was parameterized using field data based on farmer interviews and field visits. Farmer interviews and field visits were conducted at Claveria, Misamis Oriental to gather additional data regarding costs and returns associated with animal production, and also to obtain the farm gate price of napier. Predicted biophysical results produced by the SCUAF model showed that application of napier grass cuttings, back into the system, directly as mulch or indirectly as animal manure resulted in higher maize and napier yields, lower soil erosion rates, and less of a reduction in soil mineral nitrogen and soil labile carbon levels. The comparison was made with the case where napier was sold off-farm as fodder. Cost-benefit analysis showed that higher economic returns were gained when napier grass cuttings were fed to animals, rather than applied directly as mulch. This economic benefit was attributed to the draught and transport services rendered by the animal and to a change in the value of the animals. This analysis highlights the value of utilizing animals within a napier grass strip system for control of erosion.