Economic Value of Camel Milk in Pastoralist Communities in Ethiopia Findings from Yabello District, Borana Zone
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Economic value of camel milk in pastoralist communities in Ethiopia Findings from Yabello district, Borana zone Galma Wako Country Report Drylands and pastoralism Keywords: April 2015 Drylands, pastoralism, economic resilience About the author Partner organisations Galma Wako IIED is a policy and action research organisation. We promote Masters degree candidate sustainable development to improve livelihoods and protect Hawassa University the environments on which these livelihoods are built. We Ethiopia specialise in linking local priorities to global challenges. IIED [email protected] is based in London and works in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific, with some of the world’s most Produced by IIED’s Climate Change vulnerable people. We work with them to strengthen their voice in the decision-making arenas that affect them — from village Group councils to international conventions. The Climate Change Group works with partners to help The Feinstein International Center of the Tufts University secure fair and equitable solutions to climate change by Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition combining appropriate support for adaptation by the poor in Science and Policy develop and promote operational and low- and middle-income countries, with ambitious and practical policy responses to protect and strengthen the lives and mitigation targets. livelihoods of people living in crisis-affected and marginalized The work of the Climate Change Group focuses on achieving communities who are impacted by violence, malnutrition, loss the following objectives: of assets or forced migration. Through publications, seminars, and confidential evidence-based briefings, the Feinstein • Supporting public planning processes in delivering climate International Center seeks to influence the making and resilient development outcomes for the poorest. application of policy in the countries affected by crises and in • Supporting climate change negotiators from poor and those states in a position to influence such crises. The Center vulnerable countries for equitable, balanced and multilateral works globally in partnership with national and international solutions to climate change. organizations to bring about institutional changes that enhance effective policy reform and promote best practice. The Center • Building capacity to act on the implications of changing seeks to combine academic excellence, innovative research ecology and economics for equitable and climate resilient and public policy development. development in the drylands. Acknowledgements Published by IIED, April 2015 The synthesis of research was guided by Saverio Krätli as a Galma Wako. 2015. Economic value of camel milk in pastoralist consultant for IIED and facilitated by Eshetu Yimer at Tufts communities in Ethiopia: Findings from Yabello district, Borana University. The report was reviewed by Caroline King-Okumu at zone. IIED Country Report. IIED, London. IIED and edited by Lucy Southwood. http://pubs.iied.org/10119IIED ISBN : 978-1-78431-148-3 International Institute for Environment and Development 80-86 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8NH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3463 7399 Fax: +44 (0)20 3514 9055 email: [email protected] www.iied.org @iied www.facebook.com/theIIED Download more publications at www.iied.org/pubs COUNTRY REPORT This is one of a series of reports synthesising the findings of field research conducted by masters’ degree students at Ethiopian universities who investigated the contribution of pastoral production to the national economy. The students developed the research to complement their degree studies, with support from the International Institute for Environment and Development and Tufts University. Contents Acronyms 2 4. Discussion 17 Glossary 2 5. Conclusion 19 Executive summary 3 References 21 1 Introduction 4 Related reading 22 2 Methods and materials 6 Appendices 23 2.1 Description of research area 7 Appendix 1: Household survey questionnaire 23 2.2 Sampling techniques 8 Appendix 2: Key informant interview and group 2.3 Data collection and tools 9 discussion checklist 32 2.4 Limitation to research methodology 10 2.5 Data analysis 10 3 Study results 11 3.1 Number of camels owned 12 3.2 Volume of camel milk produced and used 12 3.3 Economic value of camel milk in household economies 15 www.iied.org 1 ECONOMIC VALUE OF CAMEL MILK IN PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES IN ETHIOPIA Acronyms BZoPDO Borana Zone Pastoral Development Office SE standard error Glossary adolessa cold dry season (June–August) birr Ethiopian currency. Exchange rate US$1=18.81 birr from October 2013 (www.oanda.com) can be applied to all costs mentioned in this report bona long dry season (December–February) gada The gada broadly encompasses the social, political, and economic institutions of the Borana and other Oromo branches. Legesse (1973) correctly describes the term gada as a concept that stands for the whole way of life of the Oromo (Debsu 2013) ganna long rainy season (March–May) gibira tax hagayya short rainy season (September–November) kebele The smallest administrative unit in Ethiopia. It is part of a woreda, which in turn is part of a zone, which is part of a region kookkii A local unit used in the study area, 3 kookkii = 1 litre woreda A third-level administrative division in Ethiopia. A district 2 www.iied.org IIED COUNTRY REPORT Executive summary Pastoralism is a viable economic system which contributes an immense share to the formal and informal economy at national, regional and global levels. This study investigates the economic importance of camel milk production in local and household economies in Borana zone, southern Ethiopia through original research at a case study site in Yabello woreda. The study reveals that the production of camel milk has a high economic value for pastoralist households and local communities, providing sustainable income and nutrition. Camel milk production is improving household incomes and the wider local economy. We estimate that camel milk production in the Borana zone has a total value of 902,253 birr a day and 329.3 million birr a year, based on the total value of camel milk from sampled households, which is 11,739 birr a day and 4.2 million birr a year. www.iied.org 3 ECONOMIC VALUE OF CAMEL MILK IN PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES IN ETHIOPIA Introduction 14 www.iied.org IIED COUNTRY REPORT Pastoralism is a viable economic system which makes The first continent-wide policy framework on pastoralism an immense contribution to economies at national, recognises the economic potential of camel production regional and global scales. To assess the benefits in Africa’s Sahel regions and identifies camel husbandry of pastoralism in Yabello woreda, we used a broad as a priority area for further research (African Union framework developed to assess the value of pastoralism 2010). Between 1 October and 15 December 2013, in East Africa (Hesse and MacGregor 2006), which Galma Wako carried out field research as part of a looks beyond the immediate benefits of livestock and masters’ degree project at Hawassa University, to livestock products. Past research estimated the total investigate the economic value of camel milk production annual economic value of pastoralism in Ethiopia at 15 in the Borana zone, southern Ethiopia. This paper billion birr (around US$1.6 billion)1 (SOS Sahel 2006). summarises the findings of this research, which is Domestic and international export sales of livestock and presented in full in the thesis. livestock products account for 12–16 per cent of the country’s GDP and 30–35 per cent of its agricultural GDP (REGLAP 2012). Camels can provide a useful addition to the economy and food security in terms of milk, meat and other products (Ahmad et al. 2010). The economic viability of camels in arid lands is assured by their comparative advantages in their ability to adapt and remain productive under harsh climatic conditions (Nori et al. 2007). Previous research has proved that camel and camel milk production makes a considerable contribution to local and national economies as well as to individual livelihoods (Musinga et al. 2008). The camel milk industry has a lot of potential for growth to improve the livelihoods and economic status of pastoralist communities (CARE Kenya 2009). 1 Exchange rate US$1=18.81 birr from October 2013 (www.oanda.com). This exchange rate can be applied to all costs mentioned in this report. www.iied.org 5 ECONOMIC VALUE OF CAMEL MILK IN PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES IN ETHIOPIA Methods and materials 26 www.iied.org IIED COUNTRY REPORT Recurrent droughts are common in pastoral systems, 2.1 Description of research but the frequency and severity of drought in the area has area increased in the face of climate change (PFE 2010). The topography of Borana rangelands is distinguished The study took place in Yabello district, Borana zone, in by plain rangelands, intersected with occasional the extreme southern lowlands of Ethiopia, 575km south mountain ranges, volcanic cones and depressions, of Addis Ababa, along the East African (Addis Ababa– and an altitude of 750–1,700 metres above sea level. Nairobi) main road (Figure 1). A particular feature is the supply of permanent water The area is characterised by an arid and semi-arid from the traditional deep wells. The rangelands are climate, with pockets of sub-humid zones. The rainfall dominated by savannah vegetation, with varying in the area is bimodal where the average annual proportions of open grasslands, perennial herbaceous rainfall varies between 350 mm and 900 mm with a and woody vegetation (Coppock 1994). Pastoralists considerable inter-annual variability of 21 to 68 per cent. in the study area have a rich and respected cultural The rainfall of the area is erratic by nature and there are heritage and customary institutions for local governance, four distinct seasons: rules and regulations of social relationships and resource management under the umbrella of the Borana • ganna long rainy season March–May gada system (Legesse 1973).