Pastoral livestock trade & growth in Ethiopia

The export of livestock and livestock products from Ethiopia has increased greatly in recent years. Pastoralist areas supply most of the animals for export. The Future Agricultures Policy Brief 72 “Pastoral livestock trade and growth in Ethiopia” (2014, 11pp) argues that, if this supply is to be maintained or increased, specific livestock policy support is needed, based on consultation with pastoralists, traders and other private-sector actors. Moreover, the government ministries that oversee different aspects of livestock production and trade need to be better coordinated. Commercialisation of pastoralism is associated with increasing gaps between rich and poor, and leads to dropouts from the pastoralist system. The dual presence of market-oriented pastoralism and pastoralist destitution highlights the need for initiatives to improve education and health and to create non-pastoral employment within and outside of pastoralist areas.

Posted on 30 October 2014 in Pastoralism & Marketing, Pastoralism, Policy & Power, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition