Assessment of Livestock Production Constraints and Technology Need Identification in Dasenech District of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Southern Nation Nationality and peoples Region of Ethiopia, agriculture is the first and the most dominant sector that employs more than 85 percent of the total population. The production system of the region is characterized by crop production, crop-livestock mixed farming and livestock farming including cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry, equines (horse, donkey, and camel). In pastoral and agro–pastoral production systems, which are found in arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones, livestock are kept by nearly all pastoralists. This production system is associated with the purely livestock based nomadic and transhumance pastoral production systems based largely on range, primarily using natural vegetation. Livestock has a great role in the livelihood of the Dasenech district since they use pastoral farming system. The low productivity of pastoral herds/flocks result from poor reproduction rates (low fertility), heavy losses, low and delayed offtake, slow growth rates and poor yields (milk and meat). These factors are affected by the climate and its secondary effects (availability of pasture, water and animal disease), and genetic of the animals. The major problems cited as perceived by the community in their order of importance; feed shortages particularly in the rainy and dry season, lack of improved genotypes which can thrive best in the environment and bring desirable characteristics, disease problems associated with inadequate veterinary services, there is not accesses to market chain and free market exchange. Introduction of improved forages and animal breed which suits the areas; and technologies related to feed and feeding are the main technology need to be introduced in the area.

 Keywords: Dasenech, Ethiopia, Livestock Production, Production Constraint, South Omo, Technology Identification.