Climate change and livestock production in Ethiopia

Abstract

Agriculture which includes crop production, animal husbandry livestock, forestry, fisheries and apiculture remains by far the most important sector of the country from which livestock constitutes the largest component of the Ethiopian agricultural sector. The livestock population of the country that reaches more than 80 million heads is the largest in Africa and the 10^th in the world. The recent livestock population estimates that the country has about 52.1 million heads of cattle, 24.2 million sheep, 22.6 million goats and 44.9 million poultry. Ethiopia is also the continent’s top livestock exporter. However, livestock production in Ethiopia is heavily dependent on climate change and variability, and Ethiopia is among those countries most vulnerable to climate risks in Africa. So, this paper aims to give an overview on the effects of climate change on livestock production in Ethiopia.

Key words: Climate change, livestock production, Ethiopia