Introducing second PhD student from IPR/IFRA in Mali

Mamadou Coulibaly holds a Master's degree in Pastoralism from the AGRHYMET Regional Centre in Niamey, he is a researcher at IER - Institute of Rural Economy, in Mali and is a doctoral student in the SustainSahel project. More precisely, he works in close collaboration with Work Package 6: Benefits of shrub foliage for livestock husbandry.

His thesis research theme is the study of the pastoral determinants of crop-tree/shrub-animal integration in the Katibougou agroecological zone in Mali. The general objective of the study is to contribute to the improvement of food security and the fight against poverty of family farms through the design of sustainable integrated systems. The most available woody forages preferred by animals according to the perception of agropastoralists will be selected for a palatability test and used to develop feed rations in the study area. The following results are expected:

1. The most appropriate types of shrub foliage for feeding animals are identified;
2. The diets based on palatable woody forages are established;
3. The zootechnical performance of animals fed diets incorporating woody forages is determined;
4. The effects of the formulated diets on the health of the animals and the quality of their products are determined;
5. The effects of the formulated diets on the reduction of enteric greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are determined.