Searching Alternative Uses of Grassland for Sustainable Development: Evidence from the Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey

Sustainably utilizing natural resources would provide sustainable livelihoods for agrarian communities in developing countries. Using alternative and more efficient methods to utilize will probably serve achieve this goal. Ensiling grass the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey is assumed an roughage fodder source animal husbandry sector which has faced dramatic declines last decades. This study investigated possibilities preparing adopting silage region where drying roughages winter feeding troublesome due heavily rainy climate during harvest season. The was organized two broad sections; (1) socioeconomic survey (2) ensiling process provision. In first section, characteristics livestock farmers, farming practices applied, problems encountered by awareness level about were investigated. second a preparation carried out harvesting grass, determination composition silages, (3) aerobic stabilities silages. Results showed that farmers have small numbers animals operate conventionally, tend be older, hold elementary school degree, are mostly not open innovations. They face serious with their fodders lack information technology. revealed favorable results produced can successfully turned into silage. quality further increased some additives. concludes sustainably regional grasslands, awareness-raising campaigns extension programs technology should organized.