Community-Based Breeding Programs and upscale strategies for sheep and goats in Ethiopia

Abstract

Community-based breeding programs (CBBPs) for sheep and goats have been operating in 
Ethiopia for a decade and genetic progress in growth and reproduction traits has been 
observed together with other socio-economic benefits, although at a pilot scale. The
Ethiopian government has identified CBBPs as strategy of choice for genetic improvement of 
small ruminants. To make impact to the lives of large number of rural poor, CBBPs need to 
scale. Therefore, scaling up of CBBP is necessary to see large scale and continuous gains 
across Ethiopia. Complementary interventions like animal health, feeding and market 
intervention are also needed to address challenges and to enhance farmers’ livelihoods from 
small ruminants’ genetic resources. The Ethiopian government and the private sector need to 
invest in strategic areas around CBBPs to make the programme work for the poor and be 
sustainable in low‐input systems. Scaling up strategies should be an essential component of 
the pilot design