aistand south~ern afrkca - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

Figum .Uvewetghtpattems ofon4arm Barka Fifeslan andBarka Jersey F1 coossbrd cows over nine
months at Bako (subhumiddknate).
420
400
380
364)
340
320
300
eigh of cows
(kg)
280 "
260 0 U I
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jon Feb Mar
Months (1991/92)
Barka Fresion --- Barka Jersey
Support for on-station research: The * Fuelshortage:Lackoffuelforalongperiodin
procurement of vehicles, farm machinery and the wake of the ebbing strength of the former
laboratory equipment with financial government further curtailed the
assistance from the project greatly implementation period.
contributed to strengthening on-station . Shortageof veterinary drugs and acaricides:
livestock research. The inadequate supplies of these in the
country affected the health care of project
Constraints animals.
The following are among the major problems
that hampered project impleientation:
* Scarcity of protein supplements: In Ethiopia
oilcrop
protein supplement
cakes are the
during
common
the dry
source
season.
of
" Late arrival of project vehicle and farm The demand for oil cakes is generally high
implements: This was a major hindrance and resulting in exorbitant prices making it
to a large extent delayed the start of the difficult for the farmers to obtain these
project. concentrates.
" Change in economic policy: A shift in the • Data: Farmers in Ethiopia do not have the
country from socialism to a mixed economic tradition of keeping farm records. Thus when
system of production brought about the the research centres were closed due to
demise of farmer cooperatives. Cooperative political instability, they stopped collecting
project activities were totally disrupted. data on milk production end animal weight.
Arrangements had to be made afresh with This has generally undermined data analysis.
individual farmers half way through the * Long periods of livestock research:One of the
projects. major drawbacks of livestock research as
" Political unrest: The political turmoil that opposed to crop research is the relatively
culminsted in a change in government in May longer time span required to achieve results.
1991 compounded the problem by causing a All the above-stated cons raints coupled with
temporary closure of the research centres
that were responsible for the project
the nature of livestock study left much to be
achieved in assessing the impact of this project.
implementation. This played a key role in However, it is hoped that the project will
reducing the period of the project. continue for several years.
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