eam of experts launched a study, which would assess the risks of major animal diseases along the Borena-Adama-Djibouti value chain. The study is meant to provide the Ethiopian Government with sufficient evidences on opportunitie and risks on its animal and meat markets along the said value-chains. This will eventually assist the Ethiopian government to table such evidences to importing countires; thereby securing and sustaining regional and international markets for its livestock and livestock products.
The risk assessment study is so important for Ethiopia to meet the standards set by the Middle Eastern countries on the quality of live animals and meat they import from the IGAD Member States. In specific terms, the study is indispensable to increase the level of confidence among traders on sanitary and pyto-sanitory statueses, and avails leverage points during trade negotiations. Knowing the importance of these standards, the Ethiopian government requested its development partners, ILRI and AU-IBAR/SMP-AH to lead and conduct the study.
During the meeting, held on 11th and 12th August, 2015, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, participants prioritised the diseases for risk assessment, mapped out the value chain along the route, generated risk questions and pathways and identified the sources of data and information required for the analysis.
Opening the Meeting, Director of the Ethiopian Veterinary Services, Dr. Bewket Siraw indicated that trans-boundary animal diseases hinder Ethiopan livestock exports and it was high to critically look into the risks associated with these diseases and find suitable remedies to enable expansion of the livestock export markets. This study he said, together with the ongoing Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) pilot programme, would improve access to livestock export markets.
The workshop was organised by ILRI as part of the research activities it implements under the Standards Methods and Procedures in Animal Health Project (SMP-AH) implemented by AU-IBAR in partnership with IGAD with financially support from USAID.