Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has received a $3,979,498 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop technology to convert crop residues into higher quality livestock feed.
The project aims to increase the productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers in Africa and India, with its results contributing to women’s economic empowerment and greenhouse gas reduction.
Associate Professor Mark Harrison of the University of Texas at Texas A&M University’s Center for Agriculture and Bioeconomy has conducted extensive research into converting crop residue waste into higher quality animal feed.
Harrison said the project could revolutionise the operations of small-scale livestock farmers in Africa and India by increasing their productivity and incomes.
“In addition, it would contribute to environmental sustainability through reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” Harrison said.
“This funding will help us develop and commercialize innovations that will not only lead to higher incomes for smallholder farmers (SFPs), but will also improve the nutrition of livestock keepers and their communities.
“Crop residues are a major source of feed for SSP ruminants in tropical regions, both during dry seasons and during droughts, but they are of poor quality and often have a digestibility of less than 30%.”
QUT Vice-Chancellor Margaret Sheil said the new funding from the Gates Foundation continued the organisation’s very generous support around the world, including to QUT.
“This project, which has the potential to help thousands of smallholder farmers in Africa and India, follows previous support the foundation has provided to QUT researchers working on food security in Africa, including the development of a nutrient-rich golden banana fortified with provitamin A, led by Distinguished Professor James Dale.”
Professor Harrison said the research project could help accelerate the positive impacts of beef and dairy cattle health and genetics projects in Africa and India.
“The overall objective of this project is to further develop two technologies to improve the availability and nutritional value of livestock feed through research, development and expansion of thermochemical treatment of crop residues and bale processing,” Harrison said.
Professor Harrison said QUT had extensive experience in modelling agricultural and bioeconomic processes.
“Our modeling will include key processes of crop residue harvesting, baling, transportation, unpacking, thermochemical treatment, post-treatment, catalyst and water recovery and recycling, effluent management and downstream processing.”
The research team and partners are Professor Mark Harrison, Professor Ian O’Hara and Dr Jerome Ramirez, Dr Floren Plaza, Neil McKenzie and Joanne Simpkins, all from QUT’s School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering; Associate Professor Karen Harper from Central Queensland University; and Ashley Dempster from Fodder Alchemy.
