Tradeoffs between uses of crop residues a focus for SLP policy discussions

Abstract

Bruno Gerard, Coordinator of the CGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programme (SLP) introduces the SLP and a major topic of discussion at the December 2009 meeting of its Livestock Programme Group: Researching tradeoffs between the uses of residues for livestock and for soil improvement.

The meeting is "very much on pressure on biomass use in systems." It looks especially at tradeoffs in the use of crop residues - they can be used to feed livestock, or to sustain soils and prevent erosion. It concerns choices in investment between the immediate return of using resideues to feed livestock and longer term sustainability returns.