Ethiopia small ruminant value chain assessment: First results assessed

Stakeholder discussions and planning for the Livestock and Fish small ruminant value chain development project began in mid-2012. By November, sites were selected and teams were trained to carry out rapid value chain assessments in the project’s 7 research sites (including for the safe food fair food project).

Field implementation of the rapid value chain assessment ran through December 2012 and January 2013 with mixed CGIAR-national teams collecting data in Atsbi, Doyogena, Menz, Horro, Abergelle, Yabello and Shinelle districts (see pictures).

VCA assessment with farmers

The teams used a toolkit developed through the Program and undertook focus group discussions with farmers using checklists and participatory methods as well as key informant interviews with local experts, traders, butchers, livestock researchers, transporters, veterinarians and NGOs.

The preliminary reports from these assessments are being reviewed at three multi-stakeholder workshops on ‘Targeting Action Research on Small Ruminant Value Chains in Ethiopia’ held in March and April 2013. In these workshops, participants from research and development partners are taking stock of the value chain assessments and formulating ‘best bet’ intervention plans for each of the sites (that will also be taken back to the communities for their involvement).

View presentations of the value chain assessments from the various workshops: