Characterization of indigenous breeding strategies of the sheep farming communities of Ethiopia

Abstract

This working paper synthesizes and analyzes the characteristics of the indigenous sheep production and breeding strategies and practices of four sheep farming communities located in pastoral (Amibara), sub-alpine sheep-barley (Menz), perennial crop-livestock (Bonga), and cereal-livestock (Horro) production systems. The paper also provides a model framework for characterizing the indigenous sheep production and breeding practices of traditional sheep producers in Ethiopia as a basis for designing suitable community-based breeding programs. Sections 1-3 of the paper present introduction to, objectives and study framework of the ICARDA-ILRI-BOKU research project. Chapters 4 and 5 give highlights, respectively, on sheep breeding strategies and the basis for designing community-based breeding programs in Ethiopia. Section 6.1 analyses indigenous sheep production and breeding strategies and practices of sheep farming communities. The paper closes with a synthesis of approaches to the design of community-based breeding programs including definition of breeding objectives, designing, optimizing and implementing community-based breeding programs in section 6.2.