ALFALFA, also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae.

It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage. It can also serve as green manure and cover crop.

Lucerne grows in countries with warmer temperate climates and Zambia is among the countries where the plant has not yet been grown.

In light of the effects of climate change, lucerne or Alfalfa offers the needed option to diversify forage resources to compensate for losses caused by droughts during the summer forage gap.

To ensure small scale farmers productivity, the University of Zambia in collaboration with the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) has begun experiments on the Genotypes of the lucerne plant.

University of Zambia Acting Dean in the School of Agriculture, Oswin Chibinga said that the Alfalfa Diversity for Improved Forage and Livestock Production in Developing Communities Project is set to improve livelihoods for small holder farmers in the country.

Speaking at the inaugural lucerne training workshop at Mika Hotel in Lusaka, Dr. Chibinga said the milestone towards the diversification of forage will help livestock farmers to improve their livelihoods.

“This is an important milestone towards the efforts not only for improving the livelihoods for smallholder farmers but also for growing a vital value chain that will be sustainable for livestock production in the country,” Dr Chibinga said.

Dr Chibinga said the Alfalfa Diversity for Improved Forage and Livestock Production in Developing Communities project is a typical example of regional collaboration and synergetic efforts in combating the impact of climate change in Africa.

The Acting Dean emphasized the need for concerted efforts amongst the stake holders to come up with workable and effective solutions that will ensure increased production of lucerne at community, national, regional and global levels.

The International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) Agronomist Professor Nhamo Nhamo says lucerne which is also known as Alfalfa is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries globally.

“The whole essence of the experiment is to support forages. We want to experiment with the genotypes of the lucerne plant that were collected globally”, Professor Nhamo said.

Professor Nhamo said once a set of lucerne adapts to the local conditions, they will be taken for certification and registration before being tried for cultivation amongst the small scale farmers.

He said that the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the University of Zambia are already working with farmers to experiment on various agronomic practices that are important for lucerne.

“At the moment the project is focusing on the evaluation of genotypes and capacity building of National Agricultural Research Extension Services (NARES) partners who includes private seed companies interested in forage legumes,” Professor Nhamo said.

Lucerne or alfalfa is a popular forage crop grown worldwide for animal feed. Its nutritional value can never be overemphasized.

Lucerne has high  protein  content  and  amino  acid  profile  that is good for milk production in dairy cows and  weight  gain  in  beef  cattle. 

University of Zambia School of Agriculture lecturer Olipa Lungu, who is also coordinating the Alfalfa Diversity for Improved Forage and Livestock Production in Developing Communities project said the overall objective of the project is to improve the livelihoods of the small scale farmers and develop profitable and robust Alfalfa value chains.

Ms Lungu said with the effects of climate change, it is necessary to promote the production of lucerne or alfalfa in among the farmers in Zambia and beyond.

“Currently with climate change, it means that we don’t have enough rains and water to glow the other pastures and rainfall to sustain the grass production as it were in the past,” Ms Lungu said.

She said there is need to look at alternatives for climate resilient pastures that animals can feed on and alfalfa is that legume to focus on.

Lucerne or alfalfa has high palatability for all kinds of livestock because it is a means of nutritious fodder that contains crude protein and fiber that can improve the overall health of animals.

Therefore, to promote this legume to small scale farmer, there is need for awareness creation meant to promote it production in the country

Agriculture Supervisor at the Department of Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) in the Ministry of Agriculture Emma Mukosha, said there is a need to overcome the challenges regarding Alfalfa.

She said most of the targeted farmers had no information on the availability of certified Lucerne or Alfalfa seed, the benefits.

Ms Mukosa said there is need for outreach programs meant to promote the legume once it passes its adaptability tests at the University of Zambia.

ALFALFA is being promoted through ALFALFA Diversity for Improved Forage and Livestock Production in Developing Communities Project with financial support from CROPTRUST. -NAIS