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Improved Menz sheep flock (Photo credit: ICARDA\Aynalem Haile)

Community-based breeding programs to celebrate successes in Ethiopia

by

  • Beamlak Tesfaye
  • Aynalem Haile

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Research theme

Blog post

Genetic improvement plays a vital role for the development of the livestock sector by means of increasing the productivity and sustainability of production. In 2009, a new genetic improvement approach—the Community Based Breeding Program (CBBP)—was implemented in Ethiopia by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), in partnership with the Ethiopian National Agricultural Research System.

From 11–12 October 2021, ICARDA, ILRI, and the National Animal Genetics Improvement Institute (NAGII) are organizing a two-day event in Bonga and Jimma to:

  • celebrate the success in community-based sheep and goat breeding programs with farmers and partners
  • discuss and plan the way forward for technological packages that have been tested in the last 10 years

The event includes:

  • a panel discussion with farmers’ representatives
  • a market place
  • an animal show and award
  • a one-day workshop to discuss on sheep and goat intervention packages

CBBP resulted in sustained genetic gains in small ruminants which are economically rewarding to participating communities in Ethiopia. The program ensured the genuine participation of livestock keepers in the design and implementation of sheep and goat breeding, as well as control over the sales and products generated.

CBBP has been tested in more than 5,000 households and 30,000 people in over 50 villages of Ethiopia.

 

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