Livestock and Fisheries Research Strategies: Poultry, Fisheries, Apiculture and Sericulture (2016-2030)

Abstract

The accomplishment of National Poultry Program vision and objectives allied with Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute(EARI) in strengthening Ethiopian poultry industry over the next decade will depend on its ability to attain itself and readily respond to urging demand of poultry technologies in line with socioeconomic strata of the country, environmental and policy strategy, information and knowledge. An endeavor to face the challenges and proficiently to deliver outputs that are in part with national and regional economic drives for the technological innovation and adoption, EARIwith the National poultry Program is developing this research strategy cognizant by its visionandmission alliedwith the government’s development policy plan. The National Poultry Program Research is among EARI’s core commodities of highest priority for poverty alleviation, itsrequirement to trailoutfit in developing a long-term research strategy that will guide efforts of the program and the institutes at large; as well as those of the research team to deliver appropriate technologicaloutputs, information and knowledge that would contribute to the anticipated development of the poultry sub-sector and the nation at large. This research strategyis believed to serve, for the next fifteen years (2016-2030), as a blueprint for the national poultry commodity research team to advance their effort in generating and adopting different broiler, layer and dual-purpose technologies for the fifteen projected outputs. This strategy was drafted by building on the experiences and lessons gained from first strategy developed in 1999 during tenure of the then EARO, wastracked through the last fifteen years. The new draft strategy was expounded and advanced to take its contemporaryprocedure and content with the National Poultry Program researcher team through the EARI’s initiative in delivering outputs envisioned by GTP-II period and livestock master plan. This strategy is organized in eight major chapters as conciselydiscussed as follows: Chapter one-Introduction:-A section of background information on the process of preparation of the strategy; brief descriptions of poultry production systems and their current status, the importance of poultry and poultry products as source of household income, food security/livelihood and GDP; descriptions of the rationale for developing a long-term research strategy spanning over a period of 15 years; and the vision, mission, goal, objectives, and guiding principles that the National Poultry Research Program is pursuing and living up to. Chapter two-Importance of poultry production:-This chapter provides an overview of the importance of poultry production in the Ethiopian agriculture with respect to agro-ecology, genetic diversity, production and productivity of (layer, broiler and dual purpose); food and nutrition; economy (including local consumption, import substitution and earnings of foreign currency from the export market); and the role of the poultry for climate smart agriculture and environmental sustainability (i.e. sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes, adapting and building resilience to climate change; and reducing and/or removing greenhouse gases emissions). Chapter three-Assessment of internal and external environment: - this part of the document tries to identify internal and external factors which influence the conception, formulation, action and implementation of the strategy. The external factors were analyzed using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges (SWOC) framework in conjunction with critical analyses of PEST+ (Political /Policy /Legal, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological and Environmental) dimensions/elements. In addition to this analysis was also made on the research and development experience of countries which are known to have a well-developed poultry sector as a bench mark. Assessment of the internal environment is thus about precise identification and articulation of strengths and weakness based on critical examination of the existing resources; inter- and intra-disciplinary integrations, complementarities and synergies; available technologies, information and knowledge; and system organization, and implementation. The results of critical assessments done on the external and internal environments were finally formulated into a SWOC to theme matrix of table where the seven research themes; 1) Genetics and breeding 2) Feed and nutrition 3) Poultry health 4) Husbandry and management 5) Processing and packaging 6). Research extension, socioeconomics and Gender and 7).Crosscutting themes of Climate Change and Knowledge Management) were analyzed in depth. Chapter four-Strategic issues facing the poultry research commodity: -this chapter presents strategic concerns that have been synthesized by straining out from different perspective core ideas with disciplinary themes including breeding and genetics, feed and nutrition, poultry health, husbandry and management, processing and food safety and agricultural economics, extension and gender research with analyses of external and internal environments of poultry development in the country. The differentprinciples used to select a substantialquality of concernsraised from the assessment of strategic issues with in lack and skilled power, limited research infrastructures lack of suitable genetic materials, lack of feed quality and safety, lack of appropriate poultry disease prevention and control, lack of appropriate technologies for husbandry and management, lack of appropriate technologies for processing and food safety, limited information on socio-economics, research extension and gender were the center of emphasis. The strategic enquirieswere schematized in the sevenkey disciplinary themes indicated above and the crosscutting; each core theme in turn has quite a number of strategic issues and subcomponents. The significance of correspondingissue was also appraised whether or not the concern would get the resolution in the short term, medium term, and long-term timeframe. Chapter five-Research themes and strategic intervention: -this section discusses the actual enquiryof the strategies to be pursued to tackle issue of interventions recognized and deliberate to be addressed in previouschapters. Considering the complex nature of the issues identified and planned to be addressed by the research team, most of the research topics are multi-institutional, multi-thematic, multi-disciplinary, participatory, and need to be implemented in collaboration with the different stakeholders the poultry valuec chain. The short, medium and long-term strategic interventions were planned for each of the strategic issues identified under the five disciplinary and crosscutting themes to design appropriate breeding strategies. The research system iscurrently attempting to alleviate this problem by identifying, introducing and evaluation of improved poultry breed that can adapt and perform under the existing conditions in the country. The feed and nutrition theme focused on conventional and non-conventional feed resources that are cheaper and locally available with better nutritional contributions for the poultry subsector. The poultry health theme emphasize on identification, prevention and control of zoonotic disease to achieve the goal of one health. The socio-economic theme ensures improving marketing, adoption pattern, impact of livelihood, with promotion and dissemination mechanisms to enhance production, employment, and economic growth.