The Ethiopian Society of Animal Production celebrates its silver jubilee with several awards to ILRI and partners

Ethiopian Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Fekadu Beyene opened the Ethiopian Society for Animal Production’s 25th anniversary conference at Haramaya University in Aug 2017 (photo credit: Haramaya University).

The Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP) celebrated its silver jubilee last month. The event was marked on 24–25 Aug 2017 at Haramaya University, where ESAP held its 25^th Annual Conference themed ‘Livestock–A driver for economic development’.

Fekadu Beyene, Ethiopia’s minister for livestock and fisheries, opened the conference. ESAP’s president, Getachew Gebru, and Chemeda Fininsa, president of Haramaya University, also addressed participants.

At the event, individuals and institutions that have contributed to ESAP’s successes in the past 25 years were recognized. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) received ESAP’s Outstanding Institutional Award for its continuous efforts to strengthen ESAP through the years. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MoLF), Global Affairs Canada, and the United States Agency for International Development were among other institutions honoured.

ESAP is a key ILRI partner in livestock research and development work in Ethiopia and various ILRI staff members who have worked on projects and initiatives shared between the two institutions were recognized.

Azage Tegegne, deputy to the ILRI director general’s representative in Ethiopia who also manages the ILRI-led ‘Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project, received ESAP’s Outstanding and Exceptional Award for his ‘meritorious contribution to ESAP’ and Berhanu Gebremedhin, a senior agricultural economist and research coordinator with LIVES, received the ESAP Founders and Leadership Award for his ‘continuous support to ESAP’.

Kefena Efa, the national program coordinator for the African Dairy Genetic Gains (ADGG) project, and Getnet Mekuriam, a research fellow at the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA)-ILRI Hub, were awarded the ESPA Young Professional Award for being ‘outstanding early- to mid-career next-generation livestock development leaders’ and researchers with ‘outstanding leadership and academic performance’ who are supporting and contributing to ESAP’s work. Tadelle Dessie, manager of the ILRI-led African Chicken Genetic Gains (ACGG) project, and Solomon Gizaw, a livestock expert for the ILRI-LIVES project, each received a Long-Service Award.

An ESAP award to ILRI is received by the ILRI Director General’s Representative to Ethiopia Boni Moyo at the Ethiopian Society for Animal Production’s 25th anniversary conference at Haramaya University (photo credit: Haramaya University).

Speaking at the event, Siboniso Moyo, the ILRI director general’s representative in Ethiopia, recognized ESAP’s contributions to development of Ethiopia’s Livestock Master Plan (LMP) and the drafting of a new animal breeding policy for Ethiopia, both of which, she said, will support the transformation of the country’s livestock sector.

Minister Beyene said ESAP plays a crucial role in the country’s livestock sector, which he said should be refined and strengthened. ESAP’s Gebru said the society will organize more dialogues and forums with stakeholders to shape policy in the country’s livestock sector. He highlighted ESAP’s contributions to the LMP and the country’s newly adopted livestock breeding policy.

ILRI was represented at the anniversary conference by a delegation of 10 staff led by ILRI’s deputy director general, Iain Wright, who gave the keynote conference presentation on ‘Livestock and the sustainable development goals’. Other ILRI staff participated in panel discussions, facilitated sessions and hosted an ILRI display booth.

The event was organized by Haramaya University in partnership with the MoLF, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research and ILRI. ESAP members, representatives of civil societies and other development institutions in Ethiopia attended the event.