Livestock make a major, although largely underestimated, contribution to rural development in developing countries. They produce food, enhance crop production and provide additional economic goods and services as well as cash income. The inclusion of livestock diversifies and increases total farm production and income, provides year-round employment and disperses risk. Sales of livestock products provide funds for purchasing crop inputs and for financing farm investments. Livestock often form the major capital reserve of farming households and, in general, enhance the economic viability and sustainability of a farming system.

Despite these positive contributions to agriculture and economic development, many formal livestock projects have failed to meet their objectives, with the result that donors are becoming more and more reluctant to support such developments. Furthermore, animal production is increasingly being viewed far more critically:

 

· intensive production systems, particularly in industrialized countries, are seen as a major source of pollution

· increasing ruminant numbers in developing countries are being associated with the degradation of the rangelands and soil erosion

· livestock development is said to favour the richer segments of society – both producers and consumers – rather than the most vulnerable;

· livestock are thought to compete directly with humans for cereal grains.

 

Some of the tasks that we successfully completed:

• 38,300 shoats, 12,075 cattle and 1,589 camel and donkeys received treatment for external parasites while 2,968 shoats, 1,239 camel and 373 donkeys received treatment for internal parasites. A total of 28,650 shoats were vaccinated against PPR during a campaign. In general a total of 689 pastoralist households (estimated total beneficiaries 3,445) in 8 kebeles in Dembel benefited directly from this intervention: Dambale, Kerele, Kebrikushim, Bukdo, Arabi, Berkdoble, Agerwine, Ado Worabesa