The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has unveiled plans to establish 18 livestock collection centers in nine pastoralist and semi-pastoralist clusters, aiming to enhance Ethiopia's livestock market. The centers will be constructed in key livestock regions, with three clusters each in Oromia and Somali, one in Afar, and two in the South and South West states.

According to Jemal Aliye, Program Manager for the De-Risking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies in the Horn of Africa Project (DRIVE), each cluster will house two collection centers, equipped with watering, feeding, and resting facilities for livestock. This initiative is expected to bolster pastoralist cooperatives and improve market access.

To meet international standards, the government is also focusing on health-related challenges, with plans to import laboratory materials worth USD 3 million and train experts. The MoA is preparing to assess and upgrade existing livestock laboratories to ensure global market compliance.

Currently, Ethiopia’s five livestock quarantine centers are vital to the sector, but further expansion is being considered. These developments are expected to drive significant growth in the livestock industry, which is crucial to Ethiopia’s economy, accounting for 90% of its livestock export earnings.

Source: The Ethiopian Herald