Livestock Market

Ethiopia has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa. Livestock in Ethiopia provides drought power, income for farming communities, and serves as a means of savings and investment which is an important source of foreign exchange earnings to the country. It is an important economic sector providing approximately 16 % of the total GDP (equivalent to 30 % of the agricultural GDP) and generating 14 % of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. The supply of livestock comes in small numbers from highly dispersed small producers that supply non-homogenous products to local markets.

1. Livestock population of the country

 Ethiopia has diverse agro-climatic settings suitable for production of different kinds of livestock

 According to the CSA 2009 sample surveys, Ethiopia has

·         51.8 million cattle

·         33.07 million sheep

·         30.3 million goats

·         2.49 million camels                               

Table1 regional distribution of livestock (in millions of head)

Regions	Cattle	Sheep	Goats	Camel
Tigrai	3.1	1.37	3.1	.032
Afar	2.38	2.54	4.40	0.88
Amhara	12.74	8.9	6.02	0.05
Oromia	22.4	9.09	7.4	0.25
Somali	1.25	7.08	6.22	1.26
Beinshangul	0.41	0.08	0.32	0.00
SNNP	9.26	3.83	2.62	0.00
Gambela	0.13	.017	.031	0.00
Harari	0.04	0.00	0.036	0.00
Addis Ababa	0.07	0.02	0.01	0.00
Diredawa	0.05	0.043	0.12	0..005
Total	51.82	33.07	30.3	2.49

No.	Region	Number of Markets
1.	Tigray	14
2.	Amahara	319
3.	Oromia	147
4.	SNNP	159
5.	Somali	10
6.	Afar	9
7.	Addis Ababa	4
8.	Benishangul-Gumz	5
9.	Gambella	4
10	Diredawa	1
11	Harari	1
Total		673

Region	Market Sites
Afar	Assaita
	Andido
	Chiffira
	Sabure
	Yallo
	Elweha
	Gewane
	Logia
Oromia	Harobeke
	Negelle
	Teletele
	Dubuluk
	Finchwuha
	Bokuluboma
Somali	Filtu
	Moyale
	Jijiga
	Hartishek
	Togowuchale
	Lefessa
	Cherti
	Kersadula
	Hudet
	Gode
	Shinille

Source: - 2009 CSA SURVEY DATA

In Ethiopia, the pastoralist they are found in 4 low land regions of the country such as Borena, Afar ,Somali and SNNP  they Cover 136 Woreda of the country ,constitute 12-15 million population, account for over 40% of the country's total population, own 40% of goat, 40% of sheep, and 20% of the country’s cattle population, found in the border areas of the country  and are considered the traditional source of livestock, supplying 95% of livestock destined for export market.

1.1 Livestock Markets in Ethiopia

Preliminary assessment carried out by the former Livestock Marketing Authority and recently updated by SPS-LMM Program from BOARD of the Regions, indicates that there are 673 livestock markets in the country (Table 2). Livestock markets in Ethiopia are located both in rural and urban areas. In cities and towns livestock markets are mostly owned and administrated by municipalities where as livestock markets in the rural areas are administrated either by Peasant Associations or District Administrations.

        

The markets recently constructed by Pastoral Livelihood Initiative Program (PLI) of ACDI/VOCA under the USAID funded Project, in pastoral areas of Afar, Somali and Oromiya Regions have all the necessary facilities mentioned above except auctioning area. The livestock markets constructed by Livelihood Initiative Program (PLI) of ACDI/VOCA have three compartments for cattle, shoats and camels.

Table3. List and status of livestock markets constructed by ACDI/VOCA

The livestock markets constructed by ACDI/VOCA have the following facilities.

·         Tax collection office,

·         Veterinary office,

·         Animal crush,

·         Detention pens,

·         Inspection points,

·         Tax check points,

·         Water supply,         

·         Watering trough,

·         Feeding trough,

·         Loading and unloading ramps,

·         Public toilets and

·         Information board.

2. LIVESTOCK HEALTH STATUS

 2.1. Animal Health Facilities and Personnel

Based on figures from the Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Department (APHRD) of the MoARD and RBoARD, there are 2,211 public veterinary clinics of different levels, one referral diagnostic laboratory, fourteen regional referral diagnostic laboratories and three quarantine stations (with no or limited facilities) in the country (Annex 3). In addition, there are 64 clinics, 30 drug importers, 149 pharmacies and 239 rural drug shops owned by the private sector. Information was also collected on the number of skilled manpower employed by the public sector to render veterinary services in regions. Accordingly, it is assumed that there are 949 Veterinarians, 1,708 Animal Health Assistants, 1,551 Animal Health Technicians, 237 Laboratory Technicians and 232 Meat Inspectors.

The efficiency of animal health services is determined by the ratio of senior (highly qualified) to junior (auxiliary) staff and the ratio of staff to TULs (ILRI, 1995). These ratios depend on: the range of services being offered, the location of the staff, the livestock species receiving attention, and the size of individual herds and their dispersion and the ease with which subordinate staff can be supervised.   

2.2. The OIE list of disease situation with special reference to FMD, RP in Ethiopia

·         Ethiopia is free from Rinderpest. This official recognition of freedom is given by the OIE in May 2008.

·         Despite the prevalence of RVF in our neighboring countries, Ethiopia is fee from RVF. 

FMD is a complex disease and is widely distributed across the country. Its impact is especially severe in exotic dairy cattle and draught oxen as the later may go lame and interfere with draught power. Continued development of the cross-bred and pure-bred exotic dairy industry and the country’s ever increasing international trade for livestock and livestock products are likely to be constrained in the absence of appropriate FMD control programs. To curb the impacts of FMD, the animal and plant health regulatory directorate (APHRD) in collaboration with the Texas sanitary and phyto-sanitary livestock and meat marketing program (SPS-LMM) has developed a national plan for progressive control of the disease on a short, medium and long-term basis.

As part of the plan, a nation wide surveillance program was also carried out to determine the prevalence of the disease and geographic distribution of FMD viral strains. The surveillance program has identified five strains of the virus (5). The serotype O is dominating (75.5%) followed by SAT-1 (62%), A (18.2%), C (10.8%) and SAT-2 (6.8%). As a follow up, NAHDIC in collaboration with Regional veterinary laboratories has collected and tested, in 2009/10, a total of 5,235 serum samples for FMD. The overall sero-prevalence of the disease in the surveyed areas was 11%.

2.3. Disease free zones in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has no disease zone based on the criteria of the OIE. Recognizing the difficulties involved in the eradication of the major Trans boundary animal diseases (TADs), Ethiopia has adopted compartmentalization and commodity based trade as alternative and achievable options in diseases control and management.

 2.4. Disease reporting system the most important one of the 

In Ethiopia, disease reporting activities date back as far before as 1982. However, improvements in animal disease information exchange were made since the establishment of PARC Epidemiology Unit in August 1995. The project has introduced a system of general disease reporting mechanisms which is based on monthly Woreda reports.

Passive surveillance of livestock diseases in the field is the responsibility of Regional animal health services, Regional veterinary laboratories and Woreda animal health personnel. Disease investigations are generally conducted in response to reports of health problems from livestock owners.

Upon observing disease outbreaks in their herds, livestock owners report to the nearest extension agents, veterinary post and/or District (Woreda)  Administration. Disease outbreak reports are then compiled by Woreda animal health personnel, standard reporting formats filled and communicated to Regional animal health services and Federal Veterinary Epidemiology Unit.

2.5. International organization member in animal health related issues

Ethiopia is a member of the OIE, Codex Alimentarius

2.6. Animal rout check points and official culling system in Ethiopia

There are seven public quarantine stations and check posts in Metema, Mille, Dire Dawa, Jijiga, Bole Airport, Adama and Moyale.

2.7. The mode of delivery of the vaccines by state and private to livestock and type of vaccines given to animal in each season or year

The National Veterinary Institute (NVI) produces and supplies most of the vaccines needed in the country as well as an occasional surplus for export. The NVI is managed as a government enterprise and operates on a cost-recovery basis. More than 15 bacterial and viral vaccines are currently being produced by the NVI.  In some, production of vaccines has outstripped local demands and, hence, is being exported to other countries. However, there is still ground for improvements, particularly, on amount and quality of vaccines that the country needs e.g. FMD, rabies, etc. NVI periodically revises unit cost of vaccines. Vaccines against the former OIE list B diseases are fully charged by NIV while vaccines against the former OIE list A diseases is covered by the federal government. In any case NVI operates on full cost recovery. 

2.8. Veterinary colleges, veterinary research institutes of national and international status in Ethiopia

There are 9 veterinary faculties in Ethiopia.  The pioneer in Ethiopian animal health research was the Institute of Pathobiology where both veterinary and medical professionals were working together. In this Institute commendable research initiatives were taken on identifying remedies for the intermediate hosts of schistosomosis and Fasciolosis as well as determination of the mechanisms of anemia in trypanosomosis using radiological techniques.

The National Veterinary Institute has also made significant contribution to animal health research in the country particularly in the area of biological profile of major and trace elements in the livestock population of Ethiopia as well as identifying the species and strains of disease causing agents such as the virus types of FMD in Ethiopia, the causal agents of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia and the survey and analysis of deficiency problems in livestock feeds. Regional veterinary laboratories were also involved in the survey and investigation of problems affecting animal health at different times.

The livestock movement of areal time nerving

2.9. The organizational structure of veterinary services department in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Veterinary Service is organized as Federal (Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Directorate/APHRD) of MoARD and Regional services. APHRD has two sections, Epidemiology and Disease Control; and Quarantine, Inspection and Public Health. Recently, the task of controlling and administering veterinary drugs and biological products is transferred from MoH to MoARD and APHRD will most probably have a veterinary products control body which will also be responsible for registering animal  the of feed. The regional Veterinary Services which are under Bureaus of Agriculture and Rural Development are organized as field and laboratory services.

The National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Centre (NAHDIC) are currently under MoARD with a mandate primarily for national diagnostic and referral laboratory services. Development of the Federal Veterinary Service to a level of Directorate and transfer of NAHDIC to MoARD is seen as a major step forward for strengthening the country’s animal health services.

2.10. The certification procedure followed by Ethiopia for meat export

With regards to export trade of livestock and livestock products, APHRD in collaboration with SPS-LMM has developed a certification system based on the concepts of" Compartmentalization” and “Commodity Based Trade”. In addition, the Ethiopian government is building two standard quarantine stations in strategic locations closer to the sea ports of Djibouti and Berbera.

3 Meat production and issues related to the meat industry in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia totally there are 9 modern export abattoir situated in different parts of the country. Out of these 6 of them are in production process while the rest 3 are under construction and we expect that two of them will enter in to production in the coming three month. The other one will enter in to production in the next year.

3.  Scarcity of Water for Livestock: Most of the sedentary and nomadic pastoralists suffer from lack of water for both domestic and livestock use. Most of the districts in the low land of Borena experience critical water shortages because of low rainfall (frequent drought), low density and poor maintenance of existing water points, and conflicts. During the dry season, livestock have to cover long distances in search of water, leading to poor animal health and lower livestock productivity. This situation is compounded by the risk of environmental degradation around existing water points due to an influx of huge livestock populations. There is, thus, need to intervene to provide water, which is an indispensable part of life and food security, to meet the growing needs of the people of low land and their agricultural production.

4. Poor Livestock and livestock product market: Most of pastoralist communities are not following market oriented production system because of so many factors; luck of market center within the nearby areas, luck awareness about livestock market, absence of livestock market information’s and the marketing system by itself are affecting the livestock market system. Pastoralists are mainly rearing livestock for the purpose of food (milk and meat) and for social welfare. Luck of market infrastructures, luck of market orientation among the pastoralists and lack of luck strong market oriented associations are the other factotums that affect the marketing system of the district.

5. Drought Management and Food Security Initiatives

In order to prepare for any emergencies, contingency plans and hazard coping mechanism could be in hand unless the risk of the hazards will be high. In pastoralist area of Borena community based livestock early warning system become weak that support the building of capacities of pastoral communities to develop, launch and sustain coping strategies during crises. In pastoralist area of Borena community based livestock early warning system become weak that support the building of capacities of pastoral communities to develop, launch and sustain coping strategies during crises. The contribution of livestock product to the district effort to ensure food self-sufficiency both at the district and household level is significant. However, very few development interventions have been carried out on livestock product in the district in the past. Hence, the interventions to be targeted under the Project are designed to provide livestock farmers and extension workers with the skills and tools necessary to enhance livestock product production and consumers with novel livestock products. Also support the promotion of camel products, the processing of camel milk and milk product will help the food security initiatives of the district because camels are important food security animals that are able to survive and produce in extremely fragile environments.