1. Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, with over 65 million cattle, 40 million sheep, 51 million goats, and 49 million chickens. 2. Livestock play a vital role in the Ethiopian economy by providing food, draft power for cultivation, manure for fertilizing farmland, transportation, and a means of storing wealth. 3. However, the livestock sector faces several challenges including limited availability of feed, disease, low genetic potential, lack of water, and lack of marketing infrastructure. Addressing these constraints is key to sustainably developing the livestock industry in Ethiopia.

1. Livestock resource in Ethiopia challenge and
contribution
by derese simegnew Alehegn (Ph.D scholar
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar)
1

2. Livestock resource in Ethiopia
• livestock, all animals (farm animals), with the
exception of poultry. In our world the category
encompasses primarily cattle, sheep, pigs, goats,
horses, donkeys, and mules; other animals, such as
buffalo, oxen, camels, may predominate in the
agriculture of other areas.
• Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in
Africa, with 65 million cattle, 40 million sheep, 51
million goats, 8 million camels and 49 million
chickens in 2020 (Central Statistics Agency, CSA,
2020a).
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 2

3. …. Livestock resource in Ethiopia…
• Ethiopia is a target country of the United
States Feed the Future initiative as well a
focus country for Resilience, Nutrition and
Water (USAID 2021; USAID, 2018; USAID,
2018b; United States, 2017).
• Livestock is a major source of animal protein,
power for crop cultivation, means of
transportation, export commodities, manure
for farmland and household energy, security in
times of crop failure, and means of wealth
accumulation.
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 3

4. Some Definitions and Links
POWER
Environmental
governance is the distribution,
exercise, and accountability of
power and authority over nature.
For rural Africans a major governance issue
is control and access to resources
WEALTH
Natural capital is the basis for rural
production and economic systems, and
in most African economies, it is the
single most important non-human economic
asset. Investments in natural capital have a high
rate of return at the national level.
NATURE
Resources – land, water, forests, wildlife –
are dynamic, socially embedded,
economic and political. Human institutions
define resources and their use.
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 4

5. Number of livestock resource in Ethiopia
• Ethiopia is endowed with significant livestock resources and
holds the largest livestock population in Africa,
1. estimated at around 60 million cattle,
2. 60 million sheep and goats,
3. 52 million chickens,
4. 4.5 million camels,
5. 10 million bee colonies and
6. 7.2 million equines(daniel, 2000).
Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, with
A. 65 million cattle,
B. 40 million sheep,
C. 51 million goats,
D. 8 million camels and
E. 49 million chickens (Central Statistics Agency, CSA,
2020a). derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 5

6. Estimated Numbers of Livestock in Ethiopia by Region CSA (2020a)
main livestock species by Region.C
Region Cattle Sheep Goats Poultry
Tigray 4,908,964 2,097,619 4,838,969 6,317,518
Afar 1,952,394 4,040,176 8,531,082 92,941
Amhara 16,318,446 10,386,223 6,883,316 16,827,119
Oromia 25,031,068 9,260,493 7,526,644 16,668,657
Somale 3,646,940 9,188,394 17,001,672 354,264
Benshangul-Gumuz 626,537 72,284 404,015 884,660
SNNP 12,404,963 4,735,604 4,819,573 7,347,205
Gambela region 327,801 43,903 134,206 229,151
Harari 69,615 4,236 103,567 104,585
Dire Dawa Astedader 67,364 65,462 258,629 129,575
Total 65,354,092 39,894,394 50,243,044 48,955,675
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derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 6

7. The Ethiopian livestock indigenous animals
• The Ethiopian livestock population is almost
entirely composed of indigenous animals.
1. Recent estimates showed that 97.8%, 1.9%, and
0.3% of cattle are indigenous, hybrid, and exotic
breeds, respectively.
2. The estimates for sheep are 99.6% and 0.3% for
local breeds and hybrids, respectively;
3. for poultry 81.7%, 10.9%, and 7.4% are
indigenous, hybrids and exotic, respectively.
4. Nearly all goats (99.9%) are indigenous breeds
(CSA, 2020a).
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 7

8. 8
Ethiopia is a poor, but rapidly growing country with distinct regional
differences, with Productive Ethiopia showing high growth potential
livestock natural resource (lemma,k. 2021)
• Based on current trends, Ethiopia will achieve
MDG goals
• Humanitarian needs have not declined, with ~13m
people receiving food aid,
• Droughts, deforestation & soil degradation pose
challenges for subsistence farmers
• Sources of growth (e.g., extension system) of past
decade less able to drive future growth
• Tight government regulation on inputs, like
fertilizer and seeds, limit growth
Key challenges
• Strong Ag GDP official growth of 8% recently and
increase in cereal production of ~40%
• Abundant natural resources for improving
productivity: irrigation potential, ‘high potential’
land; abundant labor force
• Strong and coordinated donor initiatives such as
the new Agricultural Growth Program could
catalyze growth in the sector
• Progressive and ambitious GDP plans
Notable opportunities
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar)

9. “Pastoral
Ethiopia”
large grazing areas,
irregular climate
“Hungry Ethiopia”
irregular climate
degraded soils
small landholdings
“Productive Ethiopia”
larger landholdings
predictable climate
fertile soils
Context:
“Three Ethiopias”
45m
15-20m 12-14m
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 9

10. Livestock
RESOURCE POOL HUMAN
BENEFITS
LIVE-STOCK (NATURE) AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC (HUMAN)
DIMENSIONS
NATURAL
RESOURCES
Land, Water Genetic
resources
Nutrients Energy
LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTS
Food Manure
Fuel Draft power
Leather Fiber
ECONOMIC and
SOCIAL SERVICES
Growth
Poverty reduction
Employment
Health and nutrition
Equity
Landscape
Political stability
ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES
Climate
Nutrient cycling
Biodiversity
conservation
Water cycles
Environmental Health
CLIMATE CHANGE
COMPETITION & SCARCITY
DEMAND GROWTH
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 10

11. Balance human
needs
Increase
resource-
use
efficiency
Protect, and
enhance critical
resources
LIVESTOCK
natural resource
NATURAL SYSTEM HUMAN SYSTEM
PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (USAD, 2020)
ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES
1. Climate
2. Nutrient cycling
3. Biodiversity
conservation
4. Oceans and
water cycles
5. Environmental
health
NATURAL
RESOURCES
1. Land
2. Water
3. Genetic
4. resources
5. Nutrients
6. Energy
LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTS
1. Food
2. Manure
3. Fuel
4. Draft power
5. Leather
6. Fiber
ECONOMIC and
SOCIAL SERVICES
1. Growth
2. Poverty reduction
3. Employment
4. Health and nutrition
5. Equity
6. Landscape
7. Political stability
Manage Risks and build resilience
Develop governance and institutions
SUSTAINABILITY
PRINCIPLES
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 11

12. Livestock natural resource Sustainability, Food and
Agriculture Approach - Five Principles
1. Improve efficiency of resources
2. Protect critical resource
3. Enhance human benefits
4. Manage risks and build flexibility
5. Develop governance and institutions
• The livestock productivity of constrained by several factors,
including
1. poor genetics,
2. low reproductive performance,
3. poor quality and varying seasonal availability of feed,
4. high disease incidence and
5. parasite challenges, and
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 12

13. livestock resources
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an
agricultural setting to provide labor and produce
commodities such as
1. meat,
2. eggs,
3. milk,
4. fur, leather, and wool
Other multiple functions in the Ethiopian economy by
1. providing input for crop production and
2. soil fertility management, raw material for industry,
3. cash income as well as in promoting saving, fuel, social
functions, and
4. employment.
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 13

14. Livestock species, purposes of livestock keeping, and major
constraints in the mixed crop-livestock system, Ethiopia
Livesto
ck
Purposes of Keeping Major Constraints for
All Types of
References
Species Livestock Livestock
Cattle Draft power, manure,
meat, milk, cash
Shortage of feed, both
in quantity and
Abate (2012)
Duguma et al.
(2012)
Sheep Meat, manure,
wool/fiber, cash
Quality Insufficient
and inefficient
artificial
Duressa et al.
(2014)
Geleti et al.
(2014b)
Feyissa et al.
(2014)
Goats Meat, manure, cash insemination (AI)
service (only for
cattle)
Poultry Meat, eggs, cash 3.Diseases and
parasites
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 14

15. Concerns over sustainability
•Diverse products and services beyond food
and nutrition
•Contributions to economic growth
•Role in poverty reduction
•Enhancing resilience
•Agricultural heritage and countryside
stewardship
•Production efficiency
•Market access
•Equity - children, youth and women
•Alternative and new employment
opportunities
Opportunities

16. the major constraints of livestock
production in Ethiopia
• The overall livestock production constraints were
1. feed shortages,
2. livestock diseases,
3. low genetic potential of indigenous livestock,
4. lack of marketing infrastructure and water shortages
5. limited knowledge of farmers in livestock production,
6. poor genetic potential of indigenous cattle breeds,
and
7. land shortage were the main constraints affecting
livestock production in all agro-ecologies in decreasing
order of importance.
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 16

17. The major human made problems that affected
the development of agriculture in Ethiopia
1. In short, unemployment,
2. waterlogging in wetland areas,
3. salinity in arid and semi-arid areas,
4. acidity in high rainfall areas, pests (like weeds,
diseases, and insects), and
5. erratic rainfall distribution are the common
problems. In addition, the country's agriculture
highly depends on rain-fed.
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 17

18. the main contributions of Ethiopian agriculture
• Livestock perform multiple functions in the
Ethiopian economy by
1. providing food,
2. input for crop production and
3. soil fertility management,
4. raw material for industry,
5. cash income as well as in promoting saving,
fuel,
6. social functions, and
7. employment
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 18

19. LIVESTOCK TRADE IN ETHIOPIA
- Increase in formal trade from Ethiopia of livestock and
meat from $2 million/yr in 2001 to $211 million in 2011
- 87% increase from 2010 to 2011 alone, during drought
year
1. Evidence that informal trade has also grown
2. camels and other livestock to Sudan
3. live sheep and goats for Haj in Saudi Arabia
4. Protect and Strengthen Livestock production and
trade
Policies – Mobility - land, enclosures, access to rivers
Programs – markets, fattening, animal health, SPS
(USAID, 2020)
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 19

20. the contribution of agriculture in our society
Agriculture plays a major role in economic growth and
development.
1. As the provider of food it is a cornerstone of human
existence.
2. As a furnisher of industrial raw materials it is an
important contributor to economic activity in other
sectors of the economy.
Higher agricultural valued added per worker implies
that more income is generated from agriculture which
contributes to lower levels of poverty in rural areas.
Lower poverty rates in rural territories is also
associated with more production and income
diversification and with more market oriented
economies
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 20

21. Adaptation and use of ‘Participatory Impact Assessment’ and
conventional surveys and assessments from the 20s(Andy Catley
John Burns, Dawit Abebe, Omeno Suji, 2019)
Contribution livestock more broadly
By early 2019 in Ethiopia included:
• Livestock – veterinary, feed, destocking, restocking
• Human health
• Education
• Financial services & value chain
• Small-scale irrigation
• Cash-for-work and food-for-work
• Income generating groups
• Urban gardens
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 21

22. Ethiopia examples animal health worker
Community-based animal health workers
 Legislative recognition of CAHWs
 National MoA Minimum Standards and
Guidelines
Livelihoods-based drought responses,
pastoralist areas
 MoA national guidelines
 Revised veterinary approaches e.g. voucher
schemes with private sector
 Commercial livestocking
 Livestock feed
derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 22

23. derese simegnew Alehegn(Ph.D. scholar) 23