The Performance and Challenges of Urban Livestock Farming: The Case of Dessie City, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Urban livestock production to over all development including income and employment generation, poverty alleviation, and improvement of human nutrition and health. This study was conducted with the main objective of assessing the performance and challenges of smallholder livestock farming in the context of Dessie City Amhara Region. There is limited scientific evidence about the progress and challenge of urban agriculture in general and urban livestock farming in particular. To this end, the study contributes in generating first hand data on the performance and challenges of urban livestock farming. To that effect the necessary data were gathered from primary and secondary sources. The overall methodology is explanatory. A stratified random sampling of 100 urban livestock farmers was drawn from selected kebels through proportionate sampling. Interview was also held with two sector heads who are from the municipal (Mayor); the urban agriculture sector head. Focus group discussions were held which are selected from the 13 kebels and one household from each kebels. To analyses the data frequencies, percentage and tabulation was used. Moreover, correlation and multiple regression analysis were employed to see the relationship between the independent and dependent variables in the study area. As the findings of the study reveals the potential of urban livestock farming that is generating for additional income (69%). The waste products livestock that use as fertilizer (58%). The number of livestock that has 11and above (57%). The capital that they have at present 3001-6000 (32%). The activity was conducted use family labor (81%). Following this shortage of credit, lack of training, shortages of capital and market are the main constraint of urban livestock farming. The conclusion of the thesis urban agriculture is an involvement of a massive society and has significant in food security, additional income and employment generating potential for an areas whose unemployment rates are growing. Furthermore, urban livestock farming which is important in many ways which include home consumptions; as source of high valued food; additional income improve employment minimizing transport and energy cost. Following this the recommendation live stock need scientific innovation to give more production that at present government (federal, regional and local) nongovernmental organizations the community and the farmer themselves should take due attention in the productivity. In addition to this the constraints and limitations of the livestock farming such as shortage of finance access to credit veterinary worker at most poor market opportunities, infrastructures; problem of feed access to land to solve these the producers should work jointly with different stakeholders.