The document outlines a project aimed at promoting economic growth in rural Ethiopia through improved dairy production via artificial insemination. The project involves training farmers as insemination technicians, distributing crossbred heifers, and enhancing milk marketing infrastructure. Despite challenges such as low cattle productivity and supply of resources, the initiative has seen significant activity with over 2,000 inseminations performed, demonstrating potential for increased dairy production and crossbred heifer availability.

1. Farmers as Artificial Inseminators: Experience from Arsi
Zone, Ethiopia
FAO-Crop Diversification and Marketing Development Project
By
Hizikias Ketema,
Livestock Development National Consultant
25-28 October,2010, Addis Ababa , Ethiopia

2. FAO- CROP DIVERSIFICATION AND MARKETING
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

3. The General Objectives of the project
 Promote economic growth in rural areas
through strengthening commercialization of
small farms in areas with recognized market
potential.
 Tap new market opportunities by providing
technology that has a potential to increase
production and productivity as well as quality
standards so as to increase income,
 Minimize price volatility and promote a
sustainable use of natural resources

4. Project Components
1. Farm Technology Development
2. Improved Market Infrastructure
3. Capacity Building and Institutional
Strengthening

5. The Livestock Activities of the Project
Dairy Development Milk Marketing
Forage Development.
Fattening

6.  Opportunities
 The climatic condition of the zone is conducive
for dairy production
 Large number of cattle
 Access to market (Major cities and towns)

7.  The main challenges are
 The low productivity of the local cattle
 Shortage and poor quality of feed
 Prevalence of animal disease

8. The Livestock Activities of the Project
 To alleviate these problems, -
 Distribution of crossbred heifers
 Development backyard feed production
 Strengthening and establishment of Milk
Collection, Processing and Marketing Units
 Strengthening of dairy cooperative union.

9. Distribution of heifers
 The Number of
crossbred heifers
planned to be
distributed throughout
the project life is 105
 So far 40 heifers are
distributed to the
farmers
 The main challenge to
achieve the project
target was shortage
supply of crossbred
heifers.

10. Artificial Insemination.
• To alleviate the shortage
of crossbred , the only
means is to encourage
farmers to produce
crossbred heifers by their
own
• To facilitate this it is
important to make the
artificial insemination
service available near to
the farmers’ village.
• For this purpose it was
necessary to train farmers’
as artificial insemination
technicians (FAIT), who
are selected from farmers’
community for, one month

11. Training
 The training was conducted in
Adama University in Asella
Model Agriculture Enterprise .
 The project assisted the
enterprise in designing the
training curriculum.

12. The training curriculum was designed to have 32.84 %
theory and the rest 61.6 % practical and for the practical
session a cow was allocated for each trainee
Activity
Hrs %
Theoretical 58 32.8
Group Discussion 10 5.6
Practical 109 61.6
Total 177 100

13. Item Quantity
Liquid nitrogen container
(35lt)
15
Liquid nitrogen container
(2 lt)
15
Insemination gun with
ring
15
Scissors 15
Forceps 15
Universal Sheath 15
Sheath Container (Case
tube)
15
Insemination glove
Thermometer 15
Thermo flask 15
Leather back bag 15
Funnel 15

14. Field Operation
 Before the inseminators
commence their services the
district/woreda offices
informed the communities
about the service.
 The communities were
advised to construct
insemination crushes in the
places which is convenient
to them.

15. Field cont.
 The inseminators also
constructed their own
crushes at their residential
compounds.
 The farmers, when they
need the service they
bring their animals to the
inseminators’ compound,
or to the crush constructed
by the community.

16. Field cont.
Supply of LN
 Initially it was agreed that
the inseminators to refill
liquid nitrogen from the
district/woreda LDHM
Offices.
 Finally it was agreed to
take the 35 litres capacity
liquid nitrogen nearer to
the inseminators and to be
kept either in the animal
health clinics or in the
office of development
agents in FTC

17. Field cont.
Payment arrangements
 Total 12 ETB birr
 Six ETB birr to
government
 Six ETB birr as labour
cost to the AI

18. Efficiency of FAITs.
The inseminators began their work at the beginning
of October 2009. All the 15 inseminators have
performed 2031 inseminations for 1838 cows until
August, 2010
 First inseminations, 1878
 Second inseminations 144
 Third inseminations 9
 There was no fourth insemination

19. Efficiency of FAITs.
S.N
Woreda/d
istrict
Number
of
Insemin
ators
Number of Insemination
Total
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
1 D/Tijo 4 697 41 0 0 738
2 Hetossa 1 70 12 4 0 86
3 H/Wabe 1 214 16 0 0 230
4 L/Bilibilo 4 193 24 0 0 217
5 Munessa 1 98 15 1 0 114
6 Tiyo 4 606 36 4 0 646
Total 15 1878 144 9 0 2031
Table 2:-. Number of Inseminations by
Woredas

20. Comparison of the Number of Service per Conceptions
(NSPC) by Different Institutions.
Institutions
Year NSPC Source
At Stations
Gobe 1992-1994 2.68 Kalay*
Holleta Agriculture Research
Center
2002-2006 1.6 NAIC*
Asella Model Agricultural
Enterprise Farm
2001-2004 2.5 NAIC*
Holleta Bull Dam Farm 2001-2005 1.9 NAIC*
At Field Level
FINIDA 1984-1994 1.5 Kalay*
Project woreda/district 2005-2009 2.1 CDMDP*
FAO-FAITs End of 2009-August 2010 1.5 CDMDP*

21. Efficiency of FAITs.
Non return rate = 86 %
Return rate = 14 %
Pregnancy = 71 %

22. Other Activities Performed by FAITs
 Pregnancy diagnosis
service to the
community
 When cows are
going to be
slaughtered, or
 When farmers are
buying or selling
cows
 Advice

23. Reporting and Recording
 Daily AI recording book
 Monthly AI report
 Monthly PD report
 Calving report

24. Reporting and Recording
Content of AI recording
book and monthly AI
reporting format
Name Kebe
le
Co
w
ID
Br
eed
No. of
insemination
B
ul
l
N
u
m
b
er
1
st
2nd
3
rd
4
T
h
Total

25. Farmers’ Artificial Insemination Pregnancy Diagnosis Report
Name Kebele
ID Breed
Date of AI Date of PD
± 15 days
PD
Result*
E.B.D ± 15
days
Maseresha
Teferi
Ada Daweta Meteke Local
25/1/ 2002 25/4/2002 +
25/10/ 2002
Tuna Kedir Kelesa Bule Cross
27/1/ 2002 27/4/2002 -
27/10/ 2002
Turunesh
Degefa
Ada Daweta Dema Local
28/1/ 2002 28/4/2002 +
28/10/ 2002
Teshome
Bejega
Jengo
Keleyesa
Bure Cross
1/2/ 2002 1/5/2002 +
1/11/ 2002
Manyazewal
Lema
Kulumessa Bure Local
3/3/ 2002 3/2/2002 +
3/11/ 2002

26. Tiyo Woreda Calves Record
Cows’ Information Calves’ Information
S.N Name Kebele
ID Breed
Date of AI Bre
e
d
ID Birth
D
at
e
Birth Wt.
Kg
Sex Bull No
M F
1
Kuma Abe A. Daweta Meteke Local 25/1/02
F1 TY-0001 6/11/02 24
1 10-165
2
Bire Alem Gonde Bure Local
3/2/02 F1 TY-0002 8/11/02 16
1
10-165
3
Aman Ali Gonde Bule Cross
5/2/02 F2 TY-0003 9/11/02 24
1
10-165
4
Grum H/G D.Koncha Bure Exotic 30/1/02
F1
TY-0004
30/10/02
1
10-165
5
Adam Biru D.Koncha Gare Local 8//2/02
F1
TY-0005
19/11/02 16
1
10-165

27. Calves recording and registration

28. CALF’s BIRTH CERITIFICATE
The Name of the Owner———————————————
Region ———————————— Zone ———————————–—
Woreda ——————————- Kebele —————————-
Calf ID ———————— Sex ———— Date of birth —————
Breed/Type ——————————- Birth Wt ——————
Dam ID —————- Breed ——————
Sire ID ————— Breed —————
This certificate is issued to certify that the calf is born by artificial
insemination from known bull.
Signature of the Zonal Livestock, Health and Marketing Office
Name and Signature of the inseminator
Date

29. Constraints Associated with Artificial Insemination Service.
 Continues Supply of Liquid Nitrogen
 Distribution of LN
 Inadequate follow up by some woredas

30. Field cont.
Some of expected results of FAIT’s service :-
 The pilot program shows that if the necessary training and
support is provided to the farmers they can be able to
participate in AI
 The program will alleviate the shortage of crossbred heifers
within short period.
 In long term the area will be the source of crossbred heifers
to other areas.
 The milk production of the area will be improved
 Other will learn the experience to scale up the service

31. NumberofInseminationsPerWoreda
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
D/Tijo
Hetossa
H/Wabe
L/Bilibilo
Munessa
Tiyo
Woredas
Numberof
Inseminations
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Lesson Learned
 It is possible to train AIT in
one month
 The AI service can be
managed by farmers
 Maximum attention
Should be given to the
selection of farmers for the
training
 In woredas where there is
strong follow up and
support there is better
performance

32. EffectofMonthsonthePerformanceofArtificial
Insemination
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
SeptemberOctober
November
DecemberJanuary
FebruwaryMarch
AprilMayJune
JulyAugust
Month
NumberofInseminations
Series1
Series2
Series3
Series4
Cont. Lesson Learned
 The high time, when the
majority of the cows are
coming to heat is
between October and
December
 Therefore, all the
necessary effort has to
be done

33. Skilled AI technician
Regularsupplyofinputs
FarmersAwareness
Adequate budget

34. Thank You