This book is a practical manual for goat production systems covering: breeding and selection, feeding based on available crops and resources, and targeted preventative health care for increased productivity and income. It outlines best practice and strategies for setting up a farm, overcoming challenges, increasing milk and meat quality, obtaining sustainability, reducing environmental pollution, optimising climatic conditions and tapping into local know-how. In addition, the book details developing region-specific data for effective decision making and better management, as well as how to run a developmental project to empower stake holders for higher production, support innovation, and analyse the supply chain for better product quality and marketing.

With the current Second Growth and Transformation Plan (2015-2020), the Government of Ethiopia expects the agro-industrial sector to play key role in economic growth of the Country. Accordingly, the creation of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been identified as one of the key mechanisms for accelerating the development of the sector and the structural transformation of agriculture. Agro-industrial parks will play a significant role in transitioning Ethiopia from an agricultural-led into an industrial-led economy. In view of that, the development of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been prioritized in Ethiopia’s national development strategy and four Agro-Industrial Growth Corridors have been selected for piloting the establishment of four Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks. The initiative aims at driving the structural transformation of the Ethiopian economy while reducing rural poverty and creating a better environment for increased investments in agro-processing and allied sectors. Since 1981, FAO has been a strong partner of the Government of Ethiopia towards the achievement of national food security and economic growth goals. FAO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to empower value chain actors and to promote inclusive, efficient and sustainable agricultural value chains. The present document is the second one of a series of detailed analyses of prioritized commodities, which will lead to inclusive, sustainable and stronger agricultural value chains in the Agro-Commodities Procurement Zone of the pilot Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Central-Eastern Oromia.

In 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide development actions of governments, international agencies, civil society and other institutions over the next 15 years (2016–2030). The SDGs aim to end poverty (SDG1) and hunger (SDG2) while restoring and sustainably managing natural resources. The number of people in the world suffering from hunger increased in 2014–2017, reversing the declining trend in undernourishment seen since 2005. In light of the renewed international commitment to reduce hunger, the potential of dairy development to contribute to poverty reduction and the potential of dairy nutrition in young children, the aim of this study is to collate and review available evidence for a causal relationship between: (i) milk / dairy consumption and (ii) ownership of dairy animals and reduced levels of child undernutrition (HAZ, stunting and WAZ, underweight) in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs).

Trends in smallholder livestock enterprises; The impact of the introduction of exotic cattle in East and southern Africa; Intensive animal feeding practices for optimum feed utilisation; Importance of strong research-extension linkages in increasing livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa; Research on smallholder dairy research programmes in subhumid areas; Dairy/beef production systems research programme in Malawi; Research on smallholder dairy production in coastal lowland Kenya; Smallholder dairy on-farm research in Burundi; Smallholder dairy in Ethiopia; Dual-purpose goat research in western Kenya; Contribution of crossbred goats to milk production and social welfare in Burundi; Dairy goat research and extension at Sokoine University of Agriculture (lowlands) and Mgeta (hithlands) areas of Tanzania; Dual-purpose cattle in central Tanzania; Peri-urban small-scale dairy research programme in Botswana; Research on small ruminant production systems in Zimbabwe; Disease control approaches; Economic implications of the control of East Coast fever in eastern, central and southern Africa; Immunisation of cattle against East Coast fever: experiences in Zanzibar; Sustainable control methods for ticks and tick-borne diseases in Africa; New vaccine strategies against heartwater; Economics of trypanosomiasis control: research implications; Development of smallholder dairying; Smallholder dairy production in Zambia; Smallholder dairy development in Malawi; Kenya National Dairy development project; Dairy development programme in Tanga, Tanzania; Smallholder dairy development programme in resettled and communal areas in Zimbabwe; Development of smallholder dairying in Zanzibar; Marketing options for livestock products: a total systems cum-managerial perspective; Other production systems; Group ranch concept and practice in Kenya with special emphasis on Kajiado District; Introduction of dairy cattle production systems in soil conservation areas; Wool and mohair production in Lesotho; Synthesis of constraints to livestock research and development and recommendations.