Major Challenges and Achievements in Ethiopian Livestock Production

1. Major Challenges and Achievements in Ethiopian Livestock Production Ministry of Agriculture, January 2013

2. Introduction • With 52.1 m. cattle, 24.2 m. sheep, 22.6 m. goats, 987000 camels, 44.9 m. poultry and nearly 5 m. beehives Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa. • Livestock are source of food, draught power, bio-fertilizer and fuel, cash income and wealth accumulation. • The sector also contributes 12-16% of GDP and about 16% of foreign earning; • IGAD’s study shows that livestock contribution to national economy was 350% of what was estimated in 2008/09 taking consideration of animal transport, traction power, fertilizer, dung, etc.

3. Major Challenges in Livestock Production Systems • Technical constraints- genetic limitation for production, inadequate and poor quality of feed resources, prohibitive price of crossbred heifers and poultry, lack of poultry parent stock, and prevalent animal diseases. • Institutional constraints- - Poor linkage between research, extension and technology users, Inadequate extension and training service, unreliable market and unavailability of credit. • Socio-economic constraints- Unavailability of adequate land, specific problems to pastoral areas (shrinkage and degradation of rangelands, recurrent drought and conflict)

4. Major Challenges in Livestock Production Systems (Cont’d) Alarming note • Presently only 2% of milk is marketed; • About 120 primary coops of 7500 members are federated in 8 dairy coops unions; • Management, business skills, access to markets and quality assurance need attention in the coops; • 150,000 liters of milk processed daily country wide; • 18 milk processors in Addis, of which three are larger • Import of dairy products grew from 5.6 m. to 10.3 m. USD per year between 2005-2009.

5. Major Achievements in Livestock Production Value Chain (cont’d) Institutional and Programme/Project Set up • Recent establishment of Regional Livestock Development Agencies; • Transform of Ethiopian Veterinary Medicine and Feed Administration Authority to MoA; • The current EAAPP and AGP implementation and the recent EDGET, LIVES and LDMPS commencements; • Improved relations with regions in terms of communication and information exchange; • Ongoing Transfer of Livestock Ass. Directorate to State Ministry; • Improved deployment of DAs for all kebeles.

6. Major Achievements in Livestock Production Value Chain Input and service • Planting of forage legumes and forage seeds on established watershed areas; • Strong linkage established between RBoA and private seed enterprises. A case of Oromia with Eden Seed Enter. • Commencement of estrus synchronization-

7. Major Achievements in Livestock Production Value Chain (cont’d) Input and Service • Improved relations with regions in terms of communication and information exchange; • Improved deployment of DAs for all kebeles. • Promotion of Improved poultry supply from 5 to 15 at smallholder level and 50 chicken to medium income producer Production • Annual milk, egg and honey outputs increased with increase in year except in 2011/12, but not concurrent to GTP. (eg. Milk 3.5 thousand tons. vs 3.7 thousand tons);

8. Major Achievements in Livestock Production Value Chain (cont’d) Processing • Establishment of 18 dairy processing plants; • Establishment of export abattoirs and leather industries.

9. Major Achievements in Livestock Production Value Chain (cont’d) Marketing • Efforts underwent to link meat exporters with livestock producers, (Afar woreda livestock producers’ coop. linked with Luna Meat Exporter and SNNP, Somali and Oromia are likely to follow suit)

10. Way forward • The advent Livestock State Ministry has to spearhead the livestock development at the country level. • Concerted efforts of the regional and federal governments, agricultural bureaus and research organizations at various levels, higher learning institutions, private sector and NGOs are required