ADDIS ABABA– The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has announced plans to construct 18 livestock collection centers across nine pastoralist and semi-pastoralist clusters, aiming to enhance Ethiopia’s livestock market.
Program Manager for the De-Risking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies in the Horn of Africa Project (DRIVE)Jemal Aliye told The Ethiopian Herald that the centers will be built in key livestock areas, with three clusters in Oromia, three in Somali, one in Afar, and two in the South and South West states. Each cluster will have two collection centers in areas with strong livestock resources.
The construction of these centers will strengthen pastoralist cooperatives and improve market access. This fiscal year, bids for the construction of 10 collection centers have already been announced. The centers will feature facilities such as watering, feeding, and resting areas for livestock.
To address health-related challenges, the government and its partners are installing international-standard laboratories and training experts to meet global market requirements. Jemal noted that a three million USD shipment of laboratory materials is expected, and the MoA is finalizing plans to assess and improve existing livestock laboratories.
Ethiopia’s five livestock quarantine centers are crucial to the sector, but a feasibility study suggests that additional quarantine centers and ports are needed. With these initiatives, the country’s livestock market is set for significant growth in the near future.
Pastoralist and semi-pastoralist areas generate 90% of Ethiopia’s livestock export earnings, making them vital to the national economy. However, challenges such as market access, livestock quality, and limited market information have impacted the sector’s full potential, as noted by local abattoir associations.
Ethiopia has abundant livestock resources and is ranked first in Africa and fifth globally in terms of livestock population. The livestock population includes over 71 million cattle, 43 million sheep, 54 million goats, 57 million poultry/chickens, 13.33 million equines, and 7 million bee colonies.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
The Ethiopian Herald September 22/2024
