Stratified Livestock Production and Live Animal and Meat Export from Ethiopia: Lessons from the Experience of a Donor Funded Project

Abstract

This paper reviews the livestock production system and the performance of meat and live animal export from 2005/2006 to 2011 and the catalytic role played by Ethiopia Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards and Livestock and Meat Marketing Program (SPS-LMM), a development project designed with objectives of improving the capacity of Ethiopian veterinary services and enhancing Ethiopia’s competitive advantage for meat and live animal exports. The performance of formal live animal and meat export increased by 442% and 241%, respectively, from a base of $27 million for live animal and $18.5 million for meat in 2005/2006 to $148 million for live animal exports and $63 million for meat exports in 2010/2011, respectively. These increments were due to the increased volume of exports, increased selling price of meat and live animals in the importing countries, and increased formalization of the livestock trade. There is a strong linkage between the pastoral livestock production and the feedlot operations and export abattoirs operating in the central highland areas of the country. In general, coordinated and concerted efforts of the public and private sector actors, with catalytic support of development projects, are needed to increase the live animal and meat export performance and to fuel economic growth of the country. However, it is imperative that all actors along the value chain benefit fairly from the development initiatives.