Update on sheep meat value
chain development in Ethiopia
Barbara Rischovsky (ICARDA)
CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish
Planning Meeting September 2011
Planning Meeting
ILRI Nairobi
27-29 September 2011

Outline suggested by Tom
1. Overview of outcome pathways
2. Status of existing engagement and key strategic
partners
3. Synthesis of existing and planned activities/
resources from sub-components
4. Analysis of gaps
5. Priorities for resource mobilization
6. Needs from subcomponent teams

Entry Point
• Established collaboration and lessons learnt
from the joint ICARDA/ILRI/Boku Project
"Developing community based breeding
programs" for four local sheep breeds in
Ethiopia

Target areas for sheep value chains

Why these target areas?
• Horro, Menz and Afar sheep are the most populous
breeds in Ethiopia (more than 2 million each) with wide
area coverage
• Pilot community based breeding programs established in
two communities of each region
• Regional research centers with well educated and
interested staff in Menz and Horro region
• Reasonably good information available on breeds and
production systems
• The three areas are comparatively easy accessible
• Afar and Menz sheep are major contributors to
households’ incomes

Outcome pathway
Intermediate Outcomes Ultimate Outcomes Impact
• Priority VC • 1000 sheep meat • 5000 tonnes
constraints lessened producing additional sheep
or resolved households in three meat produced
pilot regions directly annually
• Partnerships with participating in the
major stakeholders program
established and • 70,000 households
additional • Increased meat involved in the
investments aligned production (plus 72 t) value chain
in 1000 households program improve
• Flock productivity which is efficiently their standard of
increased by 20% marketed living

Components Value chain outcomes
Inputs and Inputs and services (including vaccination campaigns) accessible and
services delivered in time to male and female smallholders
Increased knowledge of male and female smallholders about useful
inputs and services
Functional institutions and conducive policy environment
Production Access to breeding rams with higher breeding value
Decreased inbreeding index
Reduced mortality
Increased offtake rate
Improved market weight and body condition
Increased consumption of ASP in the households through increased
income
Processing Meat quality criteria defined with traders and consumers
Higher quality carcasses and skins produced
Higher prices and incomes for sheep producers
Marketing Increased margins for smallholders in the value chain
Sales of sheep with appropriate weight and size according to market
demands
Organized marketing of sheep at good prices
Sheep owners well informed about marketing opportunities
Abattoirs operate near their full capacity

Key strategic partners – confirmed
Stakeholder Type Role
Ethiopian Institute of Government Implement the project activities in Afar
Agricultural Research
Regional Agricultural Government Implement the project activities in
Research Centers- Menz
Amhara
Regional Agricultural Government Implement the project activities in
Research Institute - Horro
Oromia
Ministry of Agriculture Government Support the project activities at all sites
and Rural Development
ELFORA Private Could create market outlet for the
community sheep (mutton, live animal
and skins)
LIVES New ILRI project Cooperate on sheep value chain
development

Key strategic partners – to be
consulted/clarified
Stakeholder Type Role
USAID - Ethiopian Sanitary and NGO Cooperate on marketing of
Phytosanitary Standards and mutton, sheep, skin
Livestock and Meat Marketing
Program (SPS-LMM)
Pastoral Community Development Government- Research and tailored training in
Program project Afar
SNV (Netherlands NGO) NGO Experience sharing on value
chain development
USAID – Agricultural Growth ?????
Program- Livestock Development
FARM Africa NGO Animal Health Service Delivery,
Prosopis infestation in Afar

Outcomes and outputs in 2012
Priority 1. Market demand and structures at all
Outcomes levels fully understood.
2. Model(s) for collective action for sheep
producers developed and required
institutional support determined.
3. Platforms for farmers-traders negotiation
established
Priority 1. Market chain and consumer demand
Research analysis completed.
Outputs 2. Assessment of existing forms of
collective actions for farmers in Ethiopia
3. Roles of women in sheep production in
different systems

Outcomes and outputs in 2013
Priority 1. Improved understanding of sheep VCs
Outcomes and their structure and efficiency.
2. Capacity in VCA methods built among
partners in Ethiopia.
3. Sheep breeding programs optimized (full
support from NARs)
4. Market for improved rams established.
Priority 1. VCA (technology constraints, capacity
Research constraints and required partner
Outputs institutions) completed for sheep VCs in
Ethiopia.
2. Functional recording database
3. Breeding value estimation

Gaps & Priorities for Resource Mobilization
Key Dimensions Priority Activities
Sheep health Disease prevalence study (Delia’s method?)
Animal health service delivery refined
Genetics & Breeding Consolidation of breeding programs
Feed Analysis of feed resources and identification
of feed intensification option
Farming system
Value chain analysis Rapid value chain assessment, including
gender & equity dimensions
Sector & policy Review existing information from ILRI
analysis projects
Spatial targeting
M&E Review baseline information and design
additional baseline

Gaps – inputs from technology
sub-components
• Forage production development in Menz and Horro
• Barley cultivars selected for feed value in Menz
• Tools and methods developed for prioritizing feed
interventions (Feed SC 2012)
• Feed intensification options identified and effects on
productivity and carbon and water footprint identified
(Feed SC 2012)
• Models for animal health delivery services in Afar and
other sites

Example: forage production
• Identify suitable species and varieties (genebanks
and quick screening methods)
• Adapt agronomic practices
• Assess economics of forage production and
environmental benefits (e.g. breaking cereal
monocultures)
• Test conservation technologies if required
• Assess market opportunities
• Develop seed delivery system

Gaps – inputs from cross-cutting
VC sub-components
• Cross-cutting models for value chain development
• Methods for systematic assessment of value chain
components
• Enhance capacity for quick and practical value chain
analysis to identify and address bottlenecks (Feed SC
2012)
• Ex-ante impact assessment – priority setting for
interventions
• Mapping tools for agro-ecological assessments
• Priority interventions to improve gender equitable outcomes
identified

Current Activities & Resources
PhD studies 1) SNPs to assess breed composition in Menz
at Boku (Awassi-Menz sheep crossbreds)
2) Impact of improved genetics (size and feed
requirement) on natural resource base
LIVES Unclear what proportion and what activities will
contribute to sheep value chains
ACIAR Fodder market scoping study in Ethiopia
ADA Long term strategies for stallholder sheep breeding
programs
IFAD Fodder project

Staff playing major role
ICARDA BR (40%) – VC coordination
Aynalem Haile (30%) - Breeding
Aden Aw-Hassan (25%) – VC analysis & Impact assessment
Market specialist (50%)
Malika Martini (25%) – Gender
Forage, Rangeland, Nutrition (10% each)
ILRI Tom, Nancy, Jemimah, Purvi, Michael B., Phil, Amos, Okeyo

Minimum operational resources
required to get started
• to employ a national coordinator for the field work in
Ethiopia: US$ 25,000
• operational budget to do VC assessments and to
continue the work with communities: US$ 50,000
• to conduct stakeholder workshop to initiate innovation
platforms targeting development partners: US$ 10,000

Thank you!