Small Scale Dairy Production System Challenges and Prospects in Fafen Zone, Ethiopian Somali Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted between July 2013 and January 2014. The objective of this study was to examine the existing challenges and opportunities of small scale dairy production challenges and opportunity. The importance of dairy livestock as a source of livelihood for pastoralists in eastern Ethiopia cannot be overstated. A study was carried out in the districts of Jigjiga, Babile, and Gursum in Fafen zone of Ethiopian Somali regional state, eastern Ethiopia to collect baseline data on small scale dairy animal challenges and opportunity of feeding and management in Jigjiga, Gurusum and Babile districts that inhabit the area and rearing of major dairy livestock production. The primary and secondary data were collected to assess the impact of dairy management and information whose dissemination was underway on the husbandry of dairy livestock. During this study, between 30 and 55 households were purposively selected from three locations drawn from the three districts. A total of 130 respondents purposively selected from 55 households in Jigjiga district, 45 from Babile district and 30 households in Gursum per location were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire and the personal discussion were made. The questions targeted different aspects of dairy livestock management husbandry and feeding. Analysis of the data revealed malpractices in the areas of husbandry management, feeding, health and watering, among others, across the studied districts. The major constrained faced dairy animals across studied district feeding shortage (23.1%), water scarcity (15.4%), drought 11.54% and disease 10%. In the other hand, the overall mean of case of death post weaning was (39.64 for camel), 26.65 for cattle and goat (37.7) were across the studied area. In the study areas, the results further indicated that the pastoralists were aware of the challenges facing their dairy animals but did not have the knowledge to adequately deal with the constraints and prospective. This study concluded that the small scale dairy livestock prospects and information on dairy management have great potential to improve dairy performance if widely disseminated among the studied districts. Awareness creation among pastoralists and agro pastoral on the dangers of the current malpractices, vigorous dissemination of the technologies/information and follow-up to ensure utilization and/or application are strongly recommended.