PARTICIPATORY LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEM ANALYSIS: IMPLICATION FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION IN WESTERN AMHARA REGION

Abstract

AGP is a multifaceted investment program supporting agricultural productivity and commercialization focusing on high agricultural potential areas to address some o f the key constraints to agricultural growth and thereby contribute to overall economic growth and transformation. The further growth o f the agriculture sector is expected to feature prominently in the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II), currently under implementation. The Second Agricultural Growth Program 11 (AGP II) would be aligned with GTP II, thereby contributing to the achievement o f targets set for agriculture sector growth. Identification o f prevailing problems and understanding o f the existing livestock production system is vital to devise appropriate research and development interventions. Therefore, in order to identify livestock production constraints and prioritize research thematic areas, this field survey was taken on selected APG II project Woredas o f western Amhara Region. This survey was conducted on 25 Woredas o f Awi, Bahirdar special, South Gondar, Western and Eastern Gojjam zones o f the Amhara Regional State o f Ethiopia. The primary data was collected from the community level participatory planning (CLPP) conducted with different classes o f farmers, followed by interview o f experts at Woreda and Kebele level and collecting secondary information on general livestock production from selected woreda o f AGP II Project. Mixed crop-livestock production is the dominant farming system. Crop production is important to get feed (crop residue) for animals, in turn; livestock production is an important means o f draft power and organic manure. Livestock production is important to improve households’ nutrition and used as wealth accumulation and prestige. Efficacy problem o f artificial insemination, lack o f improved cattle breeds, drug resistance problem, shortage o f feed, zero-grazing use adverse effect on small ruminant and equine production, lack o f market facilities and a lot o f constraints are listed in almost all AGP Woredas. Therefore, evaluation o f different protocols on improving the effectiveness o f artificial insemination, generating technologies and demonstration work on improving forage productivity and low-quality feeds, applying health packages at farmers level and improving livestock system at different levels o f the value chain is recommended for further work for each AGP Woreda’s aligned with their prioritized problem.