Participatory Epidemiological Studies of Major Trade Constraint Diseases of Goats in Selected Districts of Afar Region

Abstract

In Afar pastoral area, livelihoods depend, at least in part, on livestock. Small ruminants made by far the greatest contribution to livestock-based livelihoods in all study districts. This study was conducted to assess and analyze trade sensitive disease problems of goats of Afar pastoral community. Information was gathered from pastoralists from June 2013- June 2014. At producers’ level, 12 focus group discussion and interview with 291 pastoralists were held at the selected four districts of Afar pastoral areas. Majority of markets in Afar region performed below their capacity. About 72.2% of pastoralist offers goats for sale to meet their urgent needs at any time during the year. Majority (51.9%) of the producers have no specific target to sale their goats. Animal characteristics in terms of health, quality and other criteria required by exporters were known only by 7.6% of the producers. Afars’ sheep are the most demanded by exporters next to Somali black head but from total shoat presented for sale, sheep accounts only 20%. Majority of producers (40.9%) indicated that they present young male for sale and 28.2% of producers presented culled female shoat for sale. Pastoralist motioned PPR, Pasteurellosis, goat pox, External parasites and CCPP as most important diseases in terms of impact on livelihoods. There was no veterinarian performing pre-purchase inspection and selection for quality assurance and certification for live shoat at various points in market chain. Quarantine centers listed PPR, pasteurellosis, CCPP, goat pox and external parasites most important disease of shoat in terms of impact on businesses. Most of the diseases motioned by quarantine centers as major diseases are also the major diseases prevailing at the producer level.

Keywords: Trade sensitive, PPR, CCPP, Goat Pox, Producer, Quarantine, key informant