Improving the health of small ruminants in Ethiopia
In late 2016, the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish produced several synthesis products, including a series of briefs on its animal health work carried out between 2012 and 2016. This brief reviews interventions and tools to improve small ruminant health in Ethiopia.
Small ruminants contribute significantly to the livelihoods and food security of smallholders in Ethiopia. However, small ruminant productivity is very low and the contribution of disease to the problem is poorly understood. Thus, the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish, with national research institutions, tested several approaches and interventions to overcome the challenges facing small ruminant producers in Ethiopia.
Key messages from this work include:
- Involving gender in animal health research is important to understand the real extent of challenges faced by small ruminant producers.
- Capacity development and collaboration with scientists from the national agricultural research system (NARS) and extension providers helps target farmers facing animal disease challenges.
- Coordinated collaboration between laboratory and field research is crucial to the detection and identification of animal disease, control and prevention as it improves the delivery of quality and safe vaccines and other veterinary products to smallholder farmers.
Gemeda, B., Desta, D., Roesel, K., Okoth, E., Secchini, F., Liljander, A. and Wieland, B. 2016. Interventions and tools to improve small ruminant health in Ethiopia. Livestock and Fish Brief 25. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
