April 13, 2007

Ethiopia PLI Inaugurates Livestock Markets

On April 13 ACDI/VOCA’s Pastoralist Livelihoods Initiative inaugurated its first livestock market facilities. The two new marketplaces in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region will form an important link in the livestock market value chain by creating a central business forum for pastoralists and offering the option of holding animals until the next market day to boost their owners’ bargaining power.

ACDI/VOCA-Ethiopia Country Representative Brutawit Dawit Abdi, Commissioner of the Oromia Pastoralist Area Development Commission Habtamu Teka and Deputy Chief of the Business Environment, Agriculture and Trade Office of USAID John Stamm attended the inauguration ceremony along with pastoralist clan elders, livestock traders and local government representatives.

“The Teltele and Harobake livestock markets are the first in a series of markets to be built with USAID support and will make a difference in the lives of pastoralists,” said Abdi.

In October 2005 ACDI/VOCA launched the two-year, USAID-funded, $7.5 million initiative to increase incomes, ensure food security and strengthen pastoralist communities. ACDI/VOCA is implementing the livestock marketing component of PLI (PLI-LM) through a strategy that links value chain and livelihoods approaches. This strategy recognizes that pastoralism is inherently not market oriented—that pastoralists are focused on minimizing risk and vulnerability rather than maximizing profits—but aims to assist them in achieving both by creating access to more profitable markets.

Strengthening the competitiveness of the Ethiopian livestock industry is instrumental to sustainably improving pastoralists’ livelihoods and increasing their economic resistance. ACDI/VOCA helps to develop livestock markets by expanding pastoralists’ access to high-value domestic and export markets. PLI-LM uses the construction and/or upgrading of important market facilities to achieve this and will build 25 market sites in total with the support from USAID/Ethiopia and the government of Ethiopia. The facilities will enable pastoralists to have access to integrated services to fulfill water, feed and veterinary needs.