Designing Community-Based Breeding Strategies for Indigenous Sheep Breeds of Smallholders in Ethiopia

The case of Bonga Breeds

Presented by Kifle Belachew at the ICARDA-ILRI-BOKU project Presented by Kifle Belachew at the ICARDA-ILRI-BOKU project workshop on Designing community-based breeding strategies workshop on Designing community-based breeding strategies for indigenous sheep breeds of smallholders in Ethiopia, Addis for indigenous sheep breeds of smallholders in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, October 29, 2010.Ababa, October 29, 2010.

(Bonga Research Center, SARI)(Bonga Research Center, SARI)

Presented by Kifle Belachew at the ICARDA-ILRI-BOKU project workshop on Designing community-based breeding strategies for indigenous sheep breeds of smallholders in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, October 29, 2010.

Designing Community-Based Breeding Strategies for Indigenous Sheep Breeds of Smallholders in Ethiopia: The case of Bonga Breeds

(Bonga Research Center, SARI)(Bonga Research Center, SARI)

Introduction

• Bonga ARC is located around Bonga town, 450 km South West of AA

• The region has huge resources on forest coffee, spices, apiculture and indigenous bonga sheep breed

•

Characteristics of Bonga sheep

Sheep type - Meat type

Coat color -Light and Dark red

Tail type – Commonly long thin and fat

Average body weight at farmers level

Birth weight 3 kg

Weaning weight M 18 kg F 14 kg

Weight at 6 month M 25 kg F 20

Mature body weight M 40 F 35

Birth type – Commonly twin birth

Distribution is all areas of south west Ethio

Bonga Sheep

Introduction

• To maximize benefit of the community different programs were initiated and implemented

• Designing Community based sheep breeding improvement program project is one

• Since the program initiation still now different activates have been performed

What Activities Performed?What Activities Performed?

Activity 1: Sensitizing and selecting farmers

• Farmers were sensitized about the program by organizing workshops to help them understand about the program

• Recurrent meetings and Discussion were made with the community

Criteria for selection of farmers are: possession of sheep flock willingness to practice in program

• 127 farmers were selected and engaged in this activity

Program Engaged Farmers participating on Workshop

Activity 2. Capacity Building

Selected farmers and Two agents (focal persons) were trained on activities:

• Identifying and tagging lambs at birth• How to keep records like date of birth, • sex of lamb, birth type, birth wts and 90 wts

•Agents were well thought and provided with format to fill information and Materials used to measure the data

Training on Data recording and Weight Measuring

Activity 3. Responsibility Sharing

• Recurrent work shops and trainings were organized to create awareness

• All stake holders were informed about the program and hold responsibility

• Community, Sheep Ranch Center, BoARD and community leaders

• Regular Follow up and Data collection were made by BARC

Activity 4. Ram Selection

• Selection was based on data and community preference, body weight, birth type, Physical conformation and coat color

• Selection was made above 90 days up to 180 days of rams

• 28 best Ram lambs were selected

• These rams were bought by the program from the farmers and transferred to ranch until they are ready to mate

Ram selection

Ram selection

Activity 5. Dissemination of improved rams

• Selected first category rams were

distributed to participating farmers

• In first round 13 best rams were distributed

• This activity made the member farmers

trust the program and very happy

Selected Rams at Sheep Ranch

Selected Rams from Sheep Ranch to Distribution site

Achievement of Program

• Total attitudinal change of community on ram selection

• Selected community members were trained on health management and safe castration

• On first round 13 best rams were distributed to 13 different villages of community

What to Do next?

• To select and distribute 60 best rams finally to see each farmer has one ram

• To form sheep herders cooperatives• To give more training on sheep health

management and nutrition• To expand the program to neighboring

sheep herders• To assess success of the program by

conducting socioeconomic study