ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has unveiled plans to construct 18 livestock collection centers across nine key pastoralist and semi-pastoralist regions to enhance its livestock market.
This initiative aims to streamline livestock trade and improve market access for pastoralist communities, who are essential contributors to Ethiopia’s economy.
The new facilities will be strategically located, with clusters in the Oromia, Somali, Afar, Southern, and South West regions.
According to Jemal Aliye, Program Manager for the De-Risking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies in the Horn of Africa Project (DRIVE), each cluster will have two collection centers equipped with essential facilities, including watering, feeding, and resting areas for livestock.
These centers are expected to bolster pastoralist cooperatives by offering better infrastructure and resources for livestock management.
The Ethiopian government is also prioritizing health-related challenges in the livestock sector.
To this end, US$3 million will be allocated for importing laboratory equipment, while experts will be trained to ensure that Ethiopia meets international standards in livestock health and safety.
This focus on quality is crucial for Ethiopia’s export market, as the country seeks to expand its share in global livestock trade. The MoA is also assessing existing livestock laboratories to upgrade them and align with global market requirements.
Ethiopia’s livestock sector is a critical component of the national economy. It generates 12% of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 33% of its agricultural GDP.
Pastoralist and semi-pastoralist regions contribute a staggering 90% of Ethiopia’s livestock export earnings, underscoring the sector’s importance.
Ethiopia boasts the largest livestock population in Africa, including over 71 million cattle, 43 million sheep, and 54 million goats, among other livestock.
Currently, the country operates five livestock quarantine centers, which play a pivotal role in the sector. However, studies suggest that additional quarantine centers and ports are necessary to meet growing demand.
The government’s efforts to expand collection and quarantine infrastructure are expected to contribute significantly to the sector’s growth, ensuring that Ethiopia remains a competitive player in the global livestock market.
In another development, earlier this year, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture endorsed a comprehensive set of standards to guide the collection, storage, and maintenance of livestock data in Ethiopia that was developed through the a Livestock Information Vision Ethiopia (aLIVE) program.
The data standard specifically focuses on standardizing data on cattle, sheep, goats, and camels. This is a huge milestone for Ethiopia, which has the largest livestock population in Africa.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.
